Take two
by Mrs. Owl 09
Summary: The crew of the SeaQuest has the opportunity to help with the replanting of the rainforests. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? Perhaps for once, everything will go according to plan, but perhaps not. Rated T for my norms: dirty mouth, dirty mind, violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I had a little more time than I thought I would in the past week, so I had a chance to write! I'm already having fun with this one. I get to delve into some of the more nerdy interests I have. And you, well, you get to learn about seeds and other random history. :) **

**Set towards the end of season one. I own nothin'. **

* * *

><p>"The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway," Nathan began, gesturing to the vid-screen behind him showing an ice encased bunker. "Was first established in 1984, to ensure the survival and biodiversity of crops and other important plants."<p>

The crew watched him respectfully, from their seats in the wardroom. They had been called in quickly, with whispers of an emergency. Now that they were learning about seeds, however, puzzled expressions started crossing to each other.

Miguel, in particular, shifted uncomfortably. He normally wasn't part of such meetings, and wasn't sure why this was an exception. Tim caught his uneasy expression, and flashed an encouraging smile. The Cuban dipped his head in thanks, his easy grin returning to his face.

Kristin took over the speech, "since 2008, countries from all over the globe have brought their contributions. It is the largest collection of seeds in the world. One week ago," the screen changed to show a cargo-ship, "the first withdrawal was completed. It was to replenish many of the trees in our destroyed rainforests, and now extinct grasses. Scientists hoped to aid in oxygen production."

"A storm knocked it off course, and it was thrown against one of the many icebergs in the area." Nathan continued smoothly, working as one unit with her. "The crew got out alive, but the entire shipment was lost."

Something flickered through Lucas' eyes, but was gone so fast Nathan wasn't sure what to call it. He earmarked it for later.

"So this isn't a rescue?" Katie asked in surprise. "What do they need us for?"

Nathan nodded to Kristin, she paused before speaking. "This will be dangerous, but half what was in the vault was on that ship. If someone, namely us, doesn't get the cargo back into the right hands, it will be lost. There are duplicates, but honestly, not enough to do this again for many years without risking complete eradication."

"How many years?" Lucas asked quizzically. "I mean, maybe there's more to it, but can't they just plant the remaining seeds and get more?"

Kristin shook her head, "there _is_ more to it." She stated kindly. "This has been in the works for ten years, nearly since the vault became a safe place for the world's collection. Everything needs to be carefully tended and breeding must be closely regulated. If it is not, the resulting plants may be weak, and too closely related to any other seeds to correct any genetic errors."

"How water tight are the containers?" Jonathan asked, already looking for the logistics of the operation.

Kristin nodded, moving onto the next picture. It showed thick plastic totes, on shelves. "They are quadruple wrapped in sealed plastic wrapping, than stored in these crates. The plastic is waterproof, but the effects of the salt water is unknown on the wrap. The totes are made of a very thick plastic, if they are whole, the seeds are safe."

"And the cold won't damage them?" Katie peered at the picture, trying to ascertain more information.

"No, in fact, they are kept at negative eighteen centigrade while in the vault. Even if the entire power grid goes, it would take weeks for the temperature to reach that of the bedrock. Even that is negative three." Kristin explained patiently, "the cold is on our side."

"That is the reasoning behind the local. Combined with the low tectonic activity in the area, and the height above sea level, it was to be the safest place for them." Kristin sighed, "of course, taking them out of the vault had risk, but no one expected this."

"How much damage did the ship take?" Jonathan spoke next.

She nodded, "that is the current concern. The area the ship went down," the picture changed again to reflect large dirty white objects, "is littered with icebergs. We know a large gash was sliced into the side, but it may have taken more injury as it sank. If the cargo hold was damaged, it is very possible that the crates themselves are as well."

"That means we can't just beak in and haul everything out." Nathan clarified, "we have to run a delicate operation. Just to add another layer, the crew witnessed the ship slide under the iceberg they hit. If it shifts, the ship and cargo will be crushed."

"Jonathan, you'll be in the DSL suit. Katie, you'll be following with the virtual reality probe, and the Stinger if needed. Lucas, I want every bit of information on the ice flows and ocean floor around us. Cross reference military satellites, fishing trawlers, even underwater webcams, anything you can get." They each nodded in understanding.

"Ben will be ready with a Seacrab, just outside the ship, to collect the totes." Nathan went on to explain.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, "where is he? Should he be here then?"

"Lt. Krieg is gathering supplies," Nathan answered with a cringe. "I told him to get what we needed by any means." Eye rolls and mutters followed this revelation. Nathan cleared his throat and continued. "He said he only needs a few hours to meet up with his source. We'll be underway directly after."

"Miguel, I need the WSKR's watching their every move, we have very little room for error. And although the chances are low, Tim, I need your ears for this. The ship sank in international waters, there might be salvagers going after it already. We can only hope the inhospitable climate keeps them out."

Nathan took the time to survey his gathered people. "Honestly, if this wasn't so important, I would have said no. If we step lightly, and there are no surprises, everything will go as planned."

He laid a stack of papers on the middle of the papers. "Memorize everything you can about the cargo ship and the area. I want everyone to know as much as possible about what everyone else is doing. It may seem redundant, but if anyone is out of commission for whatever reason, we need to keep going."

"What are the chances of everything going to plan?" Kristin murmured, watching the crew go over the specs.

Nathan smiled grimly, "if I was more superstitious, I would throw you in brig for even saying that."

She snorted, "logic always overrides superstition. We need to be ready for any outcome."

"We will, or we'll just make it up as we go." Nathan replied, looking over his crew.

Kristin sighed, "I was afraid you'd say that."

* * *

><p>"Kiddo," Nathan called quietly as the crew filled out of the room. "A word please?"<p>

Lucas set down the papers he was carrying, "yeah, what's up?"

"Are you ok?"

"What? Yeah, why?" Lucas blinked in surprise.

Nathan considered the wording of his next statement. "You look... concerned."

Lucas flushed, "so do you and the Doc."

"That's our job."

"Well... uh, it's like… you know..." Nathan looked at him tolerantly, obviously _not_ knowing. "It's just that last time we messed with a sunken ship..." Lucas rolled his eyes, "I'd rather not deal with burning cabins, or bleeding doors, or anything like that."

Nathan nodded, "neither do I. But no one died on this ship."

"That we know of, and it doesn't mean it won't happen again." Lucas muttered, shuffling the papers.

"If you're not sure you can..."

Lucas scowled, "I'm fine, I'm not a..."

"I know, I know, you're not a kid." Nathan raised his hands in a calming gesture.

"I'm sorry," Lucas suddenly said regretfully, seeing his irritation was misplaced. "I just... I don't want the whole ship saying I wussed out over ghost stories."

Nathan started to scoff, but quickly cut it off when he saw narrowed eyes. "I seem to remember you were the one that went through that burning and bleeding door to have a chat with the ghost." Nathan reminded him. "But, it doesn't matter, this is completely different. Everything is worked out, we'll get the seeds and leave. You won't even have a chance to get cold."

"Yeah, right, 'cause that ever works." Lucas grumbled, taking his pages of information and leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh come on, Ben, you're just doing this because you finally get to have some power. Don't be a jerk." Lucas scowled and huffed angrily, cornering the man outside his room.

Ben returned the glare, but the lines around his eyes crinkled as he smirked. "Part of my job is to give supplies out evenly. I'm just making sure you don't abuse your friendship with me."

"Abuse?! It's a freaking movie!" Lucas snapped, he was well aware that Ben was trying to rile him up, and that fact annoyed him even more. "You got some in, I saw it. I just want to pick something good before they're all gone."

"Download something," Ben returned off handedly.

Lucas slowly released a breath through his nose. "You know I can't. I don't have a good enough connection when we're underway."

"Oh, that's right, how terrible."

"Ben…" Lucas looked at him sadly, forcing himself into a pout. "Please?"

"Oh, that's just not right." Ben backed himself into his doorway and mockingly made a cross with his fingers to ward the youth off. "You know that look isn't fair."

It was Lucas' turn to smirk, and it twisted patronizingly. "Fine, if you don't let me look, you leave me no choice. I'll do it."

"Do what?"

"I _will_ sing the coconut song."

"You wouldn't…" Ben hissed, "that's just cruel. You know how hard it is to get that song out of my head."

Lucas took a deep breath and started to hum. "Ok! Ok! Oh god, why did I make you watch that movie?"

"Because, you said 'it was the best movie ever, and no kid could be truly happy without seeing Lion King.'" Lucas retorted, grinning now because he knew he had won easily.

"Fine!" Ben turned on his heel and opened the door for him. "But don't tell anyone I have these until I can catalog them."

* * *

><p>"What's my depth?" Jonathan's voice crackled over the bridge's intercom.<p>

"Approaching three thousand meters, Commander, you're still good." Nathan replied tensely. "What do you see?"

The crew watched the WSKR view closely. The sunken ship filled the screen, the tear in the side measured all of three meters. Plenty of space for a man, but little else. "A lot of ice, but no mermaids yet." Jonathan reported drily.

"That's a good sign, although we could probably use her for this," Nathan snorted, giving himself a moment to glance at his people and breath.

"I'm in," Jonathan announced unexpectedly. The crew tensed, which was actually quite a feat since they were already at such a high state of alertness.

"Reports?" Nathan demanded softly.

Miguel spoke up first, "I can see him, but the hole is pretty jagged. Do you want me to follow? I might knock something loose."

"Can you get in with the probe?" He directed to Katie.

She nodded, "yes, sir. Right behind him."

Nathan considered, "keep the WSKR close, but don't go in."

"The nearest ship is about a hundred kilometers way, sir." Tim called out next.

"Good, tell me immediately if they, or anyone else, approaches."

Nathan glanced to Lucas. "No changes, Captain. The ice is staying put."

He nodded, and fell into silence. Jonathan gave periodic reports, backed by the probe. Finally, he was at the cargo bay. "It looks like nearly all the crates are in one piece. It's a mess in here though. It'll take a while to stack them and bring them out."

"Take your time Jonathan. We can always come back." Nathan allowed one lungful of relief out.

Moving slowly, the commander brought the boxes to the tear in the ship, because they were so light, it was easy to bring several at once. Jonathan only had to watch the ceiling and walls of the ship. He loaded them onto Ben's Seacrab quickly. They worked well together, although Jonathan would never admit it. Once Ben had all he could hold, he took the short trip to the SeaQuest's airlock, and Jonathan would go back for more.

"How many are left?" Nathan asked, from his current post looking over Lucas' readings.

"I'd say a couple dozen, sir." Jonathan's tired voice called back. "The few damaged crates are already onboard."

"I think we should call it a day then. After you get some sleep and warmed up, we can finish."

The gratitude was evident in Jonathan's voice, "yes, sir. On my way now."

"I'll meet you and Ben at the airlock." Nathan nodded to Tim, who cut the bridge wide audio feed. Before leaving the area, Nathan took the time to clap a hand on Lucas' shoulder. "See? No problems."

Lucas glanced at him sideways, trying to look annoyed, but a grin crept over his lips. "It's still early."

Shaking his head at the cynical young man, Nathan took his leave. Lucas sat back, and began rubbing his tense neck. "I guess it wasn't so bad." He admitted to Miguel, after ensuring the Captain was too far away to hear.

The sensor chief only nodded, his eyes glued to the WSKR screen. Lucas decided to further stretch, getting up and crossing to Tim. The man was quietly talking to Commander Ford via his earpiece. It sounded to Lucas like they were discussing the merits of a warm bed over some movie time as he approached the ship. Lucas reached for the extra headset hanging off Tim's station to offer his input.

"I know Ben got some new disks in with the other supplies." Lucas volunteered, "don't tell him I said anything though."

Jonathan groaned through the radio, "It'll be some gangster movie or just a gross out comedy."

"Nope, he actually…" Lucas started to explain, but was cut off by a short gasp. "Commander?"

"Is the Captain still on the bridge?" Jonathan's voice came back tight sounding.

"No… he went to meet you and Ben. What wrong?" Tim pushed his earpiece in and gently pushed Lucas to the side so he could work. "I'll get him."

"You might need to get Krieg back too," Jonathan suggested. "But give me a minute, it might be nothing."

"What is it?" Lucas asked, scanning the screens around him. Miguel had already brought all but Loner back to the ship, and the probe was parked. Even in the suit, Jonathan looked very small and very alone surrounded by ice and water, under the belly of the ship.

They saw him walking to the bottom of a piece of ice the length of a small cot, floating under the SeaQuest. "I think there's something in there. We must have kicked it up with our engines. Or the cargo ship knocked it loose."

"Something? Like what?" Tim squinted at the screen. The rest of the bridge crew caught their tones and expressions. Miguel quickly zoomed in on the scene.

Jonathan was close enough to see, even if Loner was blocked by the LSD suit. Lucas and Tim were dumbfounded into silence when they heard Jonathan speak again. It was simply a very clear, very alarmed, "shit!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I hope everyone has a happy and safe Holiday season! See you in a few days.**

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><p>"Sir?" Tim asked, exchanging a troubled look with Lucas. Cursing was not something that commonly was heard from the Commander.<p>

"Yes, sorry." Was the eventual response. "I need Captain Bridger."

"We'll call him, what's going on?" Lucas replied, still trying to figure out what was happening. Although the WSKR was closer now, it was only looked like a particularly dirty chunk of ice.

"I need to talk to him, and Dr. Westphalen." They could see Jonathan reaching up a hand to the ice in front of him. Loner circled around to the side, and they saw it was wedge shaped. One end was four to five feet thick, while the other just over a foot. The edges were sharp and jagged as if it was freshly broken.

"I think this just became more than bringing some seeds back."

Tim started to connect him to Nathan's PAL. "What is it?" Lucas continued to push.

"A body."

* * *

><p>Lucas raced down the corridor, nimbly avoiding crew members. No one tried to stop him, they were all too accustom to the sight. He reached the air lock as Nathan was sliding the PAL into his pocket. He merely raised an eyebrow. "You're bringing it on the ship." Lucas stated shortly after catching his breath.<p>

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Uh... The last time we brought a frozen guy onboard it didn't go very well."

Nathan nodded, quickly understanding the connection. "This is different, Lucas. He's dead, not cryogenically frozen, and no one is with him. We just want to return his body to his family."

"No, I get that... just..."

"We will take every precaution." Kristin's crisp accent cut him off, from behind. They spun, "I'm not overly fond of the idea either."

Any further discussion was halted when the airlock hissed opened. Ben and Jonathan stepped aside to allow the crew members into the SeaCrab to retrieve the block. "I trust you were careful with it, Mr. Krieg?" Kristin asked when they reached her.

"Of course," he smirked. "Pretended I was cleaning an egg with a jackhammer."

She blinked in response, "well, as _disconcerting_ as that thought is, thank you."

They fell into a respectful silence as the ice incrusted body was brought passed them on a stretcher. Kristin leaned over it, and brushed some of the condensation off. "They reported all accounted for." She murmured to herself.

"Could there have been a stowaway?" Ben asked at her shoulder.

"It's always possible," Nathan agreed, "but given the climate, it's doubtful."

The ice was thinnest around the body's face and shoulders, Nathan grimaced at the dark and damaged flesh showing through. It was difficult to pick out facial characteristics other than an open mouth, as if the person had died screaming. "It'll be hard to get an ID without DNA."

Kristin nodded, "as soon as the ice melts down I'll be able to go through his… or her pockets and see what I can find without injuring the body further."

"What's on his shoulder?" Lucas suddenly asked. The thinner coating of ice was melting quicker than the rest, revealing the body's dark olive uniform and a distinct patch on the sleeve.

Deep green stood out vividly against a pale background, "is that a frog?" Kristin enquired in bewilderment.

"Oh…" Nathan breathed softly. "I believe that might be some good news. If that patch is real, and not just for show, this body isn't from the ship."

"What is it?" Ben was rubbing the ice, trying to see it better.

Jonathan scoffed, "it's part of your history Krieg, you should know this." He exchanged a knowing look with his captain.

"What do you see in the frog's hand?" Nathan prodded.

"A red stick? Or a candle… or something." Ben shrugged, "it's hard to make out."

"It's like old fashion dynamite you see in cartoons." Lucas tapped the ice directly over the patch, "you can see the wick burning."

Nathan nodded, "that is the insignia for Underwater Demolition Teams in the 1940's. Before they were SEAL's."

"World War Two?" Kristin raised an eyebrow, "oh, my goodness. The poor dear has been frozen for that long."

She straighten and clapped her hands, startling everyone. "That means he could be carrying pathogens we haven't seen for years. The body needs to be brought to my lab and quarantined immediately."

"Do you need bio-suits?" Nathan was suddenly very concerned by the idea of diseases ravaging his ship and eventually the world. Images of the victims stricken with polio, scarlet fever, and tuberculosis flickered through his mind.

Kristin shook her head. "I doubt anything would have survived healthy enough to require that kind of barrier. I will run scans as I work, the ship will alert me if there is anything in the air. The quarantine is purely for caution."

The men around her still seemed uneasy, and she smiled at their concern. "I have a suit, I keep it in my office. If it makes you feel better, I'll keep it close by at all times."

"We need two." Lucas announced, crossing his arms over his thin chest.

"Two? Why ever would I need another? I'll be the only one allowed with the body until we know it's safe." Kristin braced herself with an argument with the teen.

He shook his head, "nope. I am not leaving you alone with a frozen dude. Not after Zellar."

A proud expression crossed Kristin's face. "Lucas, that is very kind, but…"

"I second that." Nathan announced gruffly. "I need to be on the bridge until we're away from all this ice and the seeds are collected. Lucas will be your official lab buddy until that body is off my ship."

Kristin glowered at the kindhearted, but very overprotective men around her, they stared impassively back. "Fine," she sighed, "but make yourself useful and bring…" She hesitated over a label for the dead man in the ice.

"Steve?" Lucas offered hopefully, smirking.

"Or Rodgers." Ben continued, shooting a sidelong glance at the blond, and copying his expression.

"What?" Kristin started to ask, then shook her head. "No, I don't need to know. Not if it has you two grinning like that. Fine… Steve Rodgers will do." She ignored the quiet whoop as she turned away and strode to the labs.


	4. Chapter 4

Kristin sequestered them in her office. The block of ice, and the man inside, was laying on top of a rolling gurney. It was a tight fit, but the best they could do.

The science labs were overfilled with the seed crates, and staff was hurriedly cataloging them. There was no space for Kristin to think, let alone work. The office had the added bonus of an airlock door to ensure anything they might release wouldn't spread.

Without being asked, Lucas fired up the console and turned off the direct air ducts. Clean air would be coming in, but the old would be fed through scrubbers before being sent into the ocean. The chance of something surviving both airborne and the freezing depths was so low he couldn't even calculate it.

The water that melted off would go into a drain in the center of the floor and be held in a tank. Lucas stared at the grated hole in the flooring. Drains in doctor's offices always made his stomach lurch, the things that could collect in those… He tried not think about it.

Wrestling his mind back, Lucas double checked the sensors that would be their only early warning if Steve was carrying something deadly inside of his body. He turned when he heard metal clanking. Kristin was laying out four space heaters equidistant from the dripping ice.

"Where are those from?"

"I get cold sometimes." She replied defensively.

"You need that many just for you?"

"It's a big lab."

He muted any further questions when she glared at him. Kristin pointed to a cabinet over his head. "Gloves, masks, and face screens. We'll need them."

"Yes, ma'am," he muttered, hiding a grin and fetching the items for her.

Kristin, in turn, started to remove tools from a drawer in her desk. Lucas swallowed when he saw the scalpels and a rib spreader laid out on a surgical towel. "What do you need those for?"

"I will be preforming a minor autopsy when he is thawed."

He tried to disguise a horrified expression before she saw it. "You're cutting him open?"

Kristin sighed, "I have to, it's part of my job." He nodded numbly. "If you don't think you can deal with seeing…"

"No, I'm fine, I'm not leaving." Lucas shuddered, "I just didn't think I'd be looking at a dead guy's guts when I got up this morning."

"I should hope not." She teased, easing some of his discomfort. "Hopefully, the cause of death will be obvious and we won't have to see too many… _guts_."

Kristin went back to her desk, and after rummaging around a bit, handed him a screwdriver. She held another in her hand. "The heat should weaken the ice, but it'll go much faster if we chip some away. Don't dig close to the body, I don't want it harmed, if possible."

"Great," he said dryly, "this should be a fun afternoon."

* * *

><p>Jonathan laid down the book he was reading on his bunk when there was a knock on the door. "Yes?"<p>

Nathan and Katie entered, and the commander promptly got his feet at attention. "This is just a chat, nothing formal." Nathan advised him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, yet." Nathan gestured for his officers to sit. After they were more or less comfortable, he began. "Until we know for sure that the body… Steve, didn't die from an infection, I am hesitant to take the SeaQuest anywhere. If there is a virus, we can't risk it spreading beyond the ship."

"So we stay put." Katie announced, "what do we tell the crew?"

Nathan nodded, "that is my concern. I don't want to cause a panic. Even with seasoned sailors, the idea of a contaminant on a ship under thousands of tons of ice could generate some worries."

"Not to mention the rumors," Jonathan added. "How much time does Kristin need to be sure?"

"I'd say a few days," Nathan started slowly. "The rest of the salvage operation will be one, at the very least. We need to stretch that a little."

"You want us to go slower." Katie guessed, leaning back in her chair. She glanced at Jonathan, "you're the one that'll be out in the cold. Do you think you could fumble with the crates without bringing down the whole ice shelf?"

Jonathan rubbed a thumb over his bottom lip. "I could possibly develop the sniffles."

Nathan snorted, "no one will believe you're putting off a mission for a head cold, or that you'd be clumsy enough to drop the seeds." He shook his head, "it has to be something more severe. But, not so bad that we'll be pulling Kristin away from her work."

"What about all of us knowing each other's jobs?" Jonathan spoke up, "wasn't that kind of the point?"

Nathan nodded, "you are easily the most experienced diver, I don't think it'll be hard to convince the others it's a safety concern. And that's assuming they even offer. If you seem sick enough, they might not want to get close to anything you've touched."

"Oh this should be fun," Jonathan groaned. "Just _how_ sick are you going to make me?"

"We need to bring Ben on this." Katie wrinkled her nose. "I think I know something that'll work, if he still has it."

"Can he be trusted to keep his mouth shut? After the incident with the glowing… rocks…" Nathan spread out his hands, "everyone knew about that within hours."

She nodded, "I might be able to pull in few favors I have outstanding with him. If that doesn't work, I'm sure he's a still a little afraid of me." Katie flashed a not-so-friendly smile. She continued, gently, "the real question is: Commander, how do you feel about uncontrollable vomiting?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Kind of a short one, but I should have another up later today or tonight. See you then! <strong>


	5. Chapter 5

"As irritated as I am about you still having this, I'm grateful." Katie admitted, wrapping the bottle of ipecac in a shirt in an attempt to hide it.

Ben perched on his bunk, grinning. "You never know when you need to get out of a shift." She rolled her eyes. "Are you going to tell me what you need it for? Or are you just planning to play a little hooky and enjoy the penguins?"

"Wrong hemisphere, Ben," she retorted. "They stay at the south pole."

"They don't help Santa? I always thought they were like pets for the elves or something. Peng-dogs." Katie laughed despite of herself. A warm light broke out in Ben's eyes at the sound.

"Tell me," he pleaded softly. "You know I hate being left in the dark."

Katie held up a hand, "don't look at me like that. You and Lucas have spent way too much time together if you can both master that expression."

"Please?" His hazel eyes opened wide, drawing her in before she could resist.

"You are going to get me in trouble." She sighed, and sat next to him.

"Captain Bridger is worried about anything the frozen body might be carrying. He wants us to wait a few days before we get underway again. We need to buy some time without anyone catching on. If Commander Ford is throwing up," she shook the wrapped bottle. "No one will be surprised or worried about him not continuing to retrieve the crates right away."

Ben nodded thoughtfully, "you don't want to cause a panic."

"Right, which is why you can't say anything about this."

"You don't think the Commander blowing chucks right after we took on a possibly infected dead dude will cause panic?" He arched an eyebrow. "Or is that covered too?"

"We'll say it's food poisoning or something," she shrugged.

"Food that everyone else is eating." He pointed out, much to her annoyance. "Ok, I see you need some help with this. You officers really can't plan a prank."

Katie scowled at him, but knew he was right. "Oh, great and powerful Oz, won't you teach us?" She finally spat out, admitting defeat.

"Come with me young padawan, you have much to learn."

* * *

><p>Ben jogged down the corridor with a rectangular and flowery tin the size of baking pan in his hands. He held it tight to his stomach to keep the contents from moving too much. "Commander Ford!" He called when he caught sight of the man about to turn a corner.<p>

Jonathan slowed to a stop and faced him, raising an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, this is for you. It came in with the other supplies but must have been misplaced." Jonathan looked at the tin oddly, and spared another look for the man speaking much too loudly in front him. "I think it's _cookies_."

"Cookies?"

"Yes… from your family? A care package." He spoke a bit clearer, mindful of the people walking past. Ben pushed the object into his hands.

Jonathan took the tin and shook it lightly. It gave off a solid thunk that was very un-cookie like. "Careful!" Ben hissed, "you… uh, don't want to break the cookies."

"Cookies…" Jonathan repeated, still unsure why they were having this conversation.

"Yeah," Ben grinned, "just don't eat all of them at once, you might get _sick_."

"Oh… oh! Yes, the… um, cookies. Thank you Krieg." Jonathan nodded, and tucked the package under one arm before walking away.

Ben shook his head, muttering to himself. "Amateurs, I'm working with a bunch of amateurs."

* * *

><p>Lucas paused to wipe sweat of his forehead. With the space heaters at his back, and the hard work of chipping the ice, he was quickly covered in perspiration. His flannel shirt laid crumpled in a corner with Kristin's lab jacket. The protective facemask kept fogging up and slipping. He tugged at it in irritation. "Can't we take these off? The sensors haven't found anything."<p>

"Yet," Kristin corrected from her post at the head. After seeing Lucas' expression as he attempted to remove some of the ice there, she shuffled him to the feet. There was a lot less for the young man to be disturbed by on that end.

They had been working for a few hours and most of the ice was gone, melting pieces littered the floor, slowly dripping into the drain at their feet. Kristin looked up at him, "if you need a break, feel free sweetheart."

"Nah, I'm ok, just very warm." He fanned himself with his shirt. "His legs are completely loose," he pointed out. "Do you want me to keep moving up?"

Kristin paused, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea yet."

"Why?"

"Well, the flesh around his head and shoulders hasn't deteriorated much at all, in fact, they look like he just died. Intestines, however, tend break down differently. It might be rather… smooshy."

"Smooshy?" He grinned, "is that a scientific word?"

She nodded, returning the grin. "From the Latin word, 'gooshy.'"

"As long as it isn't wriggly, I think I can handle it."

Kristin stepped back from her position, stretching her arms and lower back. "It isn't that, I'm more worried about the damage we might do. I'd like to take my samples and let the rest thaw purely from the heaters."

She retrieved a scalpel from her desk and stepped beside him. "I just need a piece from the marrow for now, to test for DNA. The femur holds the best chance."

Lucas grimaced and relocated to head, "I'll uh… stay over here."

"You don't need to be here," she reminded him quietly.

"Nope, I'm good." He heard the sound of fabric tearing as she opened up an area of Steve's pants on his thigh. Lucas looked straight down at the face in front of him. The ice had covered up ash blonde hair, even lighter than his own. It was still frosted with flecks of white, making the darkened face look otherworldly. "You're right, the face looks… normal. Just like bruised and scrapped up."

Kristin nodded, "yes, I suspect he took several blows to the face before he was frozen. There are no other signs of trauma."

"Wait, if there are bruises showing now… does that mean he was alive when he froze?" He glanced at her in horror, and shivered with a sudden chill. "That's gotta suck."

"Yes," she looked at him one last time with her blade posed above the now bare leg. "I imagine it did."

Lucas stared down at the young face in sadness. Steve didn't look much older than he did, what was he doing in an UDT unit? Lucas rolled his eyes at his own thoughts, he was on a ship at fifteen, _he_ didn't have much room to question anything. He knew a lot of young men lied about their ages to fight in wars. There weren't nearly as many records back then to keep them out. Still, it bothered him.

"This will only take a few minutes." Kristin said softly, startling him out of his mental wanderings.

He nodded, and returned his gaze to the face just as Kristin inserted the blade. A soft scraping noise made Lucas' lunch threaten a reappearance. He bit down hard, and stared at Steve, wondering what his story was. Another noise, different from the first, graced his ears. A horrible realization hit him. "Doc…"

"I'm nearly done, you can leave if you need to."

"No, Doc…"

"I know it's distasteful, but…"

"No!" Lucas crossed to her in one stride, grabbing her hand and lifting the blade free from the oozing wound. "He's breathing."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: So the movie Encino Man was on a little while ago...<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Happy New Year!**

* * *

><p>"That's not possible." Kristin gasped, but even as she did so, she saw the gentle rise and fall of Steve's chest. Spinning, she hurriedly tore open a drawer and pulled out a spare stethoscope. She applied it to prior corpse.<p>

"I… I have a heartbeat."

Lucas was staring at her with wide and shocked eyes. "What do we do?"

"Get the rest of the ice off, we need to keep warming him up." She ripped the mask from her face. "It's more important to see clearly. We would have been notified if there was a pathogen in the air by now."

Lucas followed her example before he went to work on the ice covering the man's torso. He located a crack on the side and easily angled it up with his screwdriver. It had become so weakened by the heaters and chipping, it came loose in one large sheet, crashing to the floor. "Stay with him, there's bandages in the cabinet. Stop the bleeding, I'll stitch it closed as soon as I can." Kristin ordered, opening the door. "I need to get an oxygen mask and call Nathan."

He nodded, brushing shards of ice off the pants, and getting ready to apply the gauze. "Well this took an even more interesting twist."

* * *

><p>Nathan was fully aware that three people needing his attention at once was not a good sign. He chose to ignore the chirping PAL and looked at Tim first. "Yes, O'Neill." Miguel bit his tongue, and waited his turn.<p>

"I have something."

"Is it another ship?"

"No, sir. It's… a grinding sound, almost a whine."

"It's the engines, sir." Miguel cut in. "I'm getting sensor reports they are slowly being encased in ice and stopping. They're fighting it, but not well."

"Cut them off before we break a blade," Nathan barked. "We'll have to send Jonathan out to clean them off."

"Um, sir?" Miguel started hesitantly, "I found him in the bathroom and hour ago. He was vomiting, nonstop. He said something about some cookies?"

"Damnit!" Nathan rubbed his eyes, and stole a glance to Katie at her station. "Send the probe, I want to see how bad it is." She nodded, and slipped the glasses into place. Silently, she cursed the fact that her plan had worked so well.

"Lieutenant Shepard, just try to keep us level enough so we don't crash into the ice. There should be enough power to do that." He ran a hand through his hair, wondering when things would go his way again.

The PAL in Nathan's pocket chirped again. He pulled it out and punched a button. "Bridger!"

"Nathan," Kristin's voice came out rushed and full of tremor. "We need you in med-bay."

"Is there a contaminant?" He held his breath, dreading the answer.

"No… he's clean… and… I don't know how, Nathan, but he's alive."

* * *

><p>"Should we bring him out?" Lucas asked, watching Kristin fit the mask over Steve's face. "We can't really fit an EKG or anything in here."<p>

She shook her head, "no, there's too much going on out there. It will terrify him if he wakes up. I don't want to overwhelm him, the truth can wait. And we can keep him warmer in here." She hung an IV from a stand, and carefully started a heated saline drip into his arm.

Lucas glanced around, "do you feel that? We stopped moving. The engines are off."

"I suspect that was why Nathan didn't answer me the first time I called." Kristin blew out a breath of air. "One emergency at a time would be lovely."

"I have to agree." Nathan responded wryly from the doorway. He walked in, staring at Steve. "You're sure?" Kristin barely managed to not answer back sarcastically, and only nodded. "Does he have brain function?"

"He's breathing on his own and responded to painful stimuli." Kristin eyed the bandaged wound on his leg with more than mild guilt. "I don't know how I didn't notice… If Lucas hadn't stopped me, I would have just kept going."

"You weren't looking for signs of life." Nathan reminded her softly. He tried to reach for her, to console her, but Kristin pulled away.

"That's my _job_." She responded bitterly.

Lucas stood in the corner of the room awkwardly, wishing he could leave. "Hey, um, don't sweat it, you were looking at his feet. They don't breath."

A short burst of laugher popped from Kristin's mouth, and the tension in the room dropped dramatically. Nathan smiled his thanks at the teen. "So why aren't we moving?" Kristin asked after gathering herself somewhat.

"A minor problem with the engines," Nathan assured her. "When Jonathan is feeling better, he'll be able to take care of it in the suit."

"Is he sick? Why didn't you tell me?"

Danger flashed in her eyes, and Nathan backed off quickly. He eased the door shut, closing out the activity in the lab. "It was… self-inflicted, but with good intentions."

By the time Nathan was finished explaining their unfortunate plan, he was on the other side of the room, next to Lucas. With every sentence, Kristin grew more and more irritated with him, and he snuck further and further away. Lucas glanced at him warily, and then circled around Steve to put some distance between them. "Don't hide behind me, that was all you."

"She's less likely to kill me if you're in next me." Nathan answered with what he believed was resounding logic.

Kristin took a very, very deep breath. "Out. Send Jonathan to me. I'll be able to help him."

"Yes, Ma'am." Nathan scurried from the room, but not before receiving a swat on the rear as he swept past Kristin.

"Lucas," she started sweetly, "would you stay with Steve while I fix their mess? You just need to keep an eye on his breathing. His lungs haven't been used for a very long time."

"Uh, yeah, of course. No problem." He nodded emphatically, only partly because he was in no way interested in coming close before her ire dissipated.

"Thank you," Kristin said tersely, before exiting the area.

Lucas looked down at the unconscious man next to him. "Here's a tip when you wake up, do _not_ piss off the Doc."


	7. Chapter 7

Lucas sat at Kristin's desk, fidgeting with her tools. He kept glancing at Steve, checking to see if the man was breathing. Nothing changed, and Lucas restlessly started to roam the small office. After several minutes, he remembered Kristin's comment about finding ID. He circled back to him, and started digging through the side cargo pockets on Steve's pants.

After not finding any sort of wallet, ID card, or even a picture from a sweetheart, he leaned over and pulled the well-worn collar down to check for tags. There was nothing, only a faded patch on the chest of his uniform reading 'Johnson.' Lucas released the shirt in time to see light grey eyes watching his every move, as hands tightened into fists at the man's sides.

* * *

><p>Nathan groaned to himself as he left the doors of the maglev. He wasn't willing to admit just how tired he was since he was trying to keep up with everything at once. A grin curled his lips as Nathan thought of Kristin's reaction should she find out he hadn't slept since receiving the orders to save the seeds. Knowing her, he supposed he would be sent to his cabin and not allowed out for an entire day. They just didn't have time for that kind of treatment.<p>

The operation had been tense and full of peril even without finding Steve. Now, it was an added complication. He wondered what the EUO would make of the situation. Hopefully they wouldn't want to keep him in quarantine and put the young man through invasive testing.

Nathan knew he probably should have reported the find immediately, but the ice over them made for a patchy signal, and things had happened too quickly. The UEO would just have to wait, until Jonathan was healthy enough to dive, they were stuck. He just didn't like the chances of something going wrong with anyone else in the suit. "Too many problems at once, like always."

Entering the bridge, he saw it calm but edgy. "Update?"

"Keeping her level, sir." Shepherd called out.

"The ice is getting thicker, sir." Miguel announced.

Nodding, Nathan let his eyes travel over the bridge crew, considering his options. Darwin poked his nose up through the aquatube opening. "Hey buddy." Nathan crossed to him, and allowed himself a few moments of distraction, patting the smooth beak.

"If it was warmer out there, I'd have to ask you for help. We've backed ourselves into quite a corner." Darwin blinked back at him silently. "But if it was warmer, this wouldn't have happened at all." He continued muttering to himself.

Nathan straightened, and addressed the tired looking crew. He had little doubt that they had gotten about the same amount of rest as he had in the last few days. "In light of the circumstances, we need to try a change of tactics. I don't want _anyone_ in the DSL suit. It's doesn't matter what Commander Ford is sick with. No one has the training he does, and it's too risky."

After pausing to think, he continued. "I want Krieg in a Seacrab working on the ice. We don't need all of it off, just enough to be able to control the ship. Katie, back him up with the probe."

She nodded from her station as Tim pressed the buttons needed to call Ben's PAL. "Despite everything that's happening with Steve, we still need to recover the rest of seeds. We just need to keep the ship from crashing before Jonathan is able to finish, then we can leave."

Nathan looked at them, glowing with pride. "You've all done an amazing job so far, keep it up and we'll get through this."

* * *

><p>"Whoa!" Lucas jumped back. "Geez, sorry. I was looking for dog tags."<p>

Steve stayed silent, but his body was like a tightly coiled spring. "No, you're ok dude. No one's gonna hurt you or anything."

"Wo..." He blinked a few times and took a deep ragged breath, then pulled the mask down. "Where am I?"

"Um, the short answer is a sub. Let me get the doctor." Lucas started to pull away, but his arm was seized by Steve's cold hand. He was surprised by the strength in those frozen fingers. A small flicker of alarm trickled into Lucas' stomach. He brushed it away, this man was merely confused and frightened.

"Don't lie to me." He wheezed, "this looks like no submarine I've ever seen. And you're much too young to serve on one."

"Yeah, well that's a long story." Lucas rolled his eyes. "Just trust me on this, you're good."

Steve stared at him a moment longer, but his hand relaxed. "If you're lying..." He trailed off softly, "my superiors will find me."

"That's what the good ones do." Lucas nodded, "mine is the same."

"You must be very valuable then." Steve whispered, his strength seemed to have been used up in the short exchange. His startling pale eyes started to close again.

Lucas readjusted the mask and turned away. "So they tell me."

* * *

><p>Ben carefully manipulated the controls to peel off chunks of ice, which, in turn, floated away innocently. "I'll never look at a vodka on the rocks the same way."<p>

Katie chuckled into her headset. "Margaritas are more your style."

"Only on the beach."

She sighed, and leaned back in her seat. "I could go with a few days on the beach, just laying in the sun after this."

Ben smirked, even though she couldn't see his face, Katie heard the expression in his voice. "If you wear that tiny, shiny blue bikini, I'll have to join you."

There was a choking sound several feet to her left, and Katie turned to see Tim hurriedly clicking buttons on his station off. His eyes traveled to hers, and he flushed darkly. "Sorry, um, Captain Bridger wanted me to keep an eye on the engine sounds. I... uh, thought I'd get a different echo if I listened to Ben's comm for a while."

She shook her head, blushing as well. It wasn't as if the whole crew didn't know about her and Ben being married, but they still had a few highly charged moments together, and she wasn't willing to share those. For the sake of professionalism, they both agreed to keep each other at arm's length while with others. As a result, no one knew about the quiet times they had together either. The ones that Ben actually acted like a loving adult, and not a smart assed teen. She knew how much he had matured over the last few years since their divorce, if not just this tour, and it gave her hope. Maybe they could still make things work after all.

"Earth to Katie. Come in Katie!" Ben's amused voice carried over her headset.

"Yes, I'm here. Sorry about that." She snapped back to reality.

"Taking a snooze?"

Katie glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was listening. "Thinking about the night I bought that bikini, actually."

"Oh..." He got very quiet.

"Ben! You're drifting."

He corrected quickly, "in more ways than one. Listen, um, when I got the shipment of supplies in, I got a stack of movies."

"Everyone knows that already," she retorted dryly.

Ben grunted, "that damn kid... I'm guessing you _don't_ know about the special one I got in."

"Special?"

"Yeah, remember the pay-per-view on our honeymoon?"

"Why don't we pick this conversation up when you're done?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I'll try to get another one up tomorrow but after that, I'll probably be too busy for a while. The home inspector is coming and my mother is visiting for a few days. Just one step closer to owning our house! That, and good German cooking! :) <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Kristin was trying to give Jonathan an injection as he vomited noisily into a trash can. Lucas wrinkled his noise at the splashing sound, and stayed back. "Um, Doc? He's awake."

After she successfully deployed the plunger on the needle, Kristin nodded. "Next time you need an excuse, Commander, come to me first." He responded by laying the side of his face on the can, only looking at her pathetically. "Or perhaps just don't drink the entire bottle."

They turned to see Steve sitting up and watching them from his makeshift bed. He had swung his legs off the edge of the gurney, but was leaning heavily on one arm. He inspected the IV going into the vein of his free hand, but didn't remove it. He seemed to believe Lucas that he was safe on the sub, or was simply too weak to fight at the moment. His only rebellion was stripping off the oxygen mask again.

Kristin took a stack of clothes off of the end of Jonathan's cot. She smiled genially at him, and entered the room with Lucas at her heels. "These are for you. They may not fit perfectly, but they're warm. It's the best we could do on short notice."

She pulled a needle from her pocket and showed it to him. "Antibiotics, for your injuries. You seem very healthy, but I'll need to keep an eye on your wounded leg to keep away infection. We don't know what you were exposed to out there yet." He simply nodded, offering her his arm.

"And," she pulled the mask back up after administering the medication, "keep this on, your lungs aren't healed at a level I'm comfortable with yet."

Steve took the clothing, setting it aside, but continued to look around her. He took several deep breaths from the mask. His voice echoed slightly from behind it. "Nurse, why is there a Negro on your sub? Or dames, for that matter?"

Lucas' jaw dropped at the questions. He wasn't sure which part annoyed him most. Kristin stopped him before he could snap back. "We run a different type of ship than you are accustomed to. I am Doctor Westphalen. The gentleman you are referring to is Commander Ford."

Steve's eyes widened before he dropped them in discomfort. Although there was kindness in her voice, she spoke with authority. It was the same tone Kristin used to reprimand any stubborn crewmember, and Lucas knew it well. It could tell you everything was going to be ok, and at the same time, not to question her in the least. "I apologize, I seem to be a little befuddled still."

"Understandable," Kristin replied shortly. "May I ask your name?"

"Henry Johnson, warfare technician. Unit three, number…"

Kristin stopped him with an out stretched palm. "This is not an interrogation, we only want to find your family."

He shook his head, "I have none."

"Is that why you joined so young?" Lucas asked, sitting next to him.

Henry tensed at the proximity, his arm muscles flexed as if he wanted to lash out with a punch. But, the friendly and innocent expression on Lucas' face relaxed him significantly. "Somewhat, my father was in the military. I grew up on bases, I learned how to build explosives when other children were in school. When my father's superiors found out I was an ace with them, they doctored my papers and _helped_ me join the war effort."

"How old were you when you enlisted?" Lucas prodded.

"Fourteen."

"I know child abuse laws were lax then, but that's not just not possible!" Kristin gasped in outraged horror.

Henry laughed humorlessly, bitterness laced his voice. "It is when enough people turn their heads. They needed me, I did as they asked." He shrugged, and began to study the bandaged wound on his leg, uncomfortably.

"So... You're like a bomb genius or something?" Lucas asked eagerly. The possibility of having someone similar to him on the ship obviously excited the teen.

Henry paused thoughtfully, and looked up. "No one has ever called me that, but not just explosives. If it has wires, it just speaks to me. The way everything works together makes a logical and beautiful organism." As he spoke, his eyes lit up and his hands started move, gesturing with every word. It was obvious Henry had a real passion for what he was able to do.

"You said you had no family." Kristin smoothly changed the subject before the young men could get too deeply involved in it. "What happened to your parents?"

Although she worded the question as tenderly as she could, Henry still flinched and looked away. "My mother became ill when I was very young, we didn't have the money to save her. My father died last year in the fighting."

Lucas and Kristin fell silent, unsure how to respond. "I'm sorry, that's really harsh." Lucas finally offered.

Henry shrugged, "it's war."

"What was your mission? Why were you at the arctic?" Kristin moved on from uncomfortable topic.

Henry's eyes hardened, and he pulled the oxygen mask off angrily. "That's _classified_," he hissed.

"Not anymore," Lucas muttered.

"Would you be more comfortable talking to Captain Bridger?" Kristin suggested, trying to get Henry's attention back as his looked at Lucas oddly.

He shook his head, "it's above your Captain's pay grade, I believe."

Kristin pursed her lips, considering. "It's earlier than I would have liked for this kind of shock, but perhaps it's time to show you exactly what is going on. Come with me, please." She stood and removed the IV from Henry's arm before leading the young men from her office.

Commander Ford struggled into a sitting position when they entered the medbay. He cast a suspicious look to Henry, wondering about the security of having the young man roaming the ship. Lucas answered his silent question with a shrug and head tilt towards Kristin. Jonathan sighed, and dropped his legs off the bed to stand. Although he was feeling very weak and shaky, he realized he might be the only line of defense from their visitor.

The option of telling Kristin to wait was already off the table. He knew from experience that arguing with the doctor never got very far. In fact, she was already glaring at him for minor movement. "If only we could weaponize that expression." Jonathan muttered to himself. He stayed seated, a small concession to what the two strong-willed parties wanted. Kristin nodded, and turned back to her patient.

Henry tried to look everywhere at once, only resting his eyes on some of the technology around them. He stopped beside a vid-screen, touching it with a shaking hand. "What is all this? I've never seen anything like what you have."

"Um, it's the future… Kind of." Lucas tried to explain. "For you anyhow."

"The future?"

Kristin took a deep breath, preparing herself for the possibility of Henry panicking when he knew the truth. "Dear, it's 2019, you were frozen in the ice for nearly eighty years."

He stared at her, "this… this can't be real. It's some sort of trick."

"Dude," Lucas smiled sadly, "sorry, but it's all real."


	9. Chapter 9

Nathan entered the medbay warily a couple hours later. "Still mad at me?" He whispered, sliding behind Kristin as she wrote some notes on a pad.

"Mildly," she responded without looking up. "You are very lucky we have more important things to worry about at the moment."

He nodded guiltily. "How is Jonathan?" The commander was laying on his cot looking distinctly grey. He raised a hand in a feeble wave before it fell back to his side.

"He will need to be off duty for several more days. The ipecac is out of his system, but the lining of his stomach is damaged. I doubt he will be able to eat solid food for a week at the least." Kristin finally turned to face him. "It was a very foolish idea."

"And Steve?" Nathan asked, avoiding her gaze. He looked to the end of the medbay where Lucas was leaned against a far wall, speaking to the man seated on a cot.

"Henry, actually," Kristin corrected. "He is in good health, if a bit rattled. It's a lot for him to take in."

As he watched Lucas showing Henry a tablet computer and directing him on its use, Nathan was amazed how similar the two looked. They were the same age and body type, with Henry only a bit shorter and stockier than Lucas. They both had a shock of blond hair that fell into light colored eyes. Nathan supposed Henry's messy hair had more to do with a mission on a remote landmass than style, but it was startling nonetheless. The main difference was Henry wearing an extra UEO issue uniform, if he were to borrow some of Lucas' clothes, it would be difficult to tell them apart at a distance.

"They could be brothers," he mused.

Kristin followed his stare, "I've noticed. And they seem to have the same love of technology. It's only been a couple hours since he woke, and Henry already understands how to use some of the more simple devices here."

"How is he still living?"

"I'm not all together sure," Kristin admitted. "Any doctor would say he shouldn't be. Without subjecting him to a battery of tests, we won't know. I don't believe he is ready for that, though."

"Is there any surviving family?"

"He says no, but we'll know enough soon. Lucas is running a search on him." Kristin released an irritated sigh. "He answered most of our questions, and knows things about the UDT's that were classified until recently. I don't doubt he was a part of it, perhaps his records will tell us more about how he was able to live through the freezing."

Nathan raised an eyebrow, "most of your questions? What is he leaving out?"

"Henry doesn't seem… comfortable with explaining why he was in the arctic. I thought you might be able to get it out of him." Kristin suggested, while smoothly placing a hand on the small of his back and ushering them to Lucas and Henry.

"I don't think he's some scared kid," Nathan said under his breath. "I can't exactly order him."

"No, but you are the most superior officer onboard, if nothing else, he'll respect you." Kristin answered in the same quiet voice.

"He doesn't respect you?" He asked in surprise.

Kristin gave him an annoyed look, "I don't think he's very accustom to taking direction from women."

"I suppose he's too young to be married, that's how most men learn it." Nathan stopped in his tracks, resulting in the swat from Kristin to miss. "See, I can still learn."

She snorted, "if you could still learn, you wouldn't get yourself in trouble in the first place."

"Who says I don't like getting in trouble with you?" He teased playfully.

Lucas looked over the tablet computer in his hands, grimacing. "I heard that. And, _ew_."

"Hush," Kristin chided, although she was smiling. "Henry, this is Captain Bridger."

"Sir," Henry saluted after pushing himself off the bed, and stood rigidly at attention. He held his leg stiffly, but didn't drop the position. "Thank you for the rescue."

Nathan returned the salute, "at ease. You're very welcome, it's what we do here." Henry relaxed a small measure, but looked uncomfortable. "If you are feeling up to it, I would like to debrief you." Nathan carefully pushed. He tried to ride the line between authority and compassion for what the young man was going through.

"I'm not sure if I am allowed to, sir. No disrespect meant."

"You won't be revealing anything new, everything was declassified years ago." Nathan explained, smiling warmly.

Henry looked at the faces around him, they were all waiting patiently, showing only friendliness and concern. Finally, he nodded, "I'd like to be somewhere more private." He waved to the few crewmembers milling around the medbay.

"We can use my office. I don't want you wandering through the ship just yet." Kristin announced, turning and leading the men.

After Kristin took Henry's vitals one more time, he sat on the gurney, still left from thawing him, nervously. Nathan and Kristin, in turn, leaned on her desk. Lucas sat behind it, propping the tablet up to record the debriefing. He was sure that this would be something people would want a record of.

Henry cleared his throat. "Well, officially I was here… there to keep the ice from closing off to ensure the passage of supply ships. The high ranking officers were concerned about the public knowing the truth. They didn't want to cause a panic. In reality, there were German U-boats sighted and I was part of a team to destroy them. We had a _Katyusha BM-8._ When we got a ping on radar, we would load up and fire."

Kristin and Lucas looked at Nathan questioningly. "A light weight rocket launcher. One of the first, I believe. Made by the Russians." He explained, nodding.

"Yes, we were able to get one." Henry smiled wanly, "but we were told not to ask where it came from. I think even the allies were scavenging from each other."

Kristin pursed her lips, "and the alliance between the US and Russia was rocky at best."

"What year was this?" Lucas broke in.

"1944."

Nathan shook his head, "year before the fighting ended. They must have been desperate to send someone your age somewhere like that."

Henry gazed at him with haunted eyes, as if he wanted to agree but his training wouldn't allow him to discredit his superiors. "They needed me, my job was to produce explosives that would survive the water and take out the ships."

He took a deep breath, coughing a few times. Kristin handed him the oxygen mask, which he took with a grateful nod. "They never knew we were there, we didn't show up on their radar. The first hint they had was the explosions, but they were already done for."

"What happened? Where is the rest of your team?" Nathan asked.

Henry twisted his face painfully, "I was in the explosives shed, working. Someone fired on us, I could hear the screams and buildings being destroyed. I... I just ran." He paused to bury his face in his hands. "I heard them dying and I all I could think was, _I'm too young for this, I can't just die like them_."

They gave him a few moments to gather himself and breathe from the mask. "There must have been a fissure in the ice, I didn't see it until it was too late. I kept hitting the sides and just kept falling. Then everything went black."

Silence fell, finally Kristin spoke up. "You _were_ too young. It's absolutely despicable that they forced you into that situation."

Henry slid his eyes up to look at Lucas curiously. "Nah, dude, my case is a little different," he volunteered. "Not much, but…" he shrugged.

"We aren't making you kill people." Kristin spat, trying to bring her frustration under control. "Things are very different Henry, no one will make you fight in a war if you don't want to. We will find a safe place for you as soon as we can leave. In the meantime, you'll stay in the medbay."

He nodded, "thank you, doctor."

"And I can catch you up on the history of the last eighty years." Lucas offered with a grin. "Everything you need to know is here." He wiggled the tablet he was still recording with.

Henry regarded him for a few seconds, "all I am interested in knowing at the moment, is what this 'dude' word you keep saying means."

Nathan and Kristin burst into laughter at the incredulous expression on Lucas' face. "You won't be the only one who has a language barrier with him." Nathan admitted, much to Lucas' annoyance.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, I've been sick. I should be picking it back up now. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Katie nestled against Ben in her cabin wiping away tears as the colorful light from her vid-screen played across the both of them. "You know it's a happy ending, why do you always cry?"<p>

"Because," she sniffled, "it's sad when they have to leave Kevin. And don't pretend you didn't when Ellie died."

"That's different," he said gruffly, wrapping an arm around her, and swallowing his own tears.

The bird started to talk, saying goodbye to the other characters, and Katie laughed. "See, it's happy." Ben teased with a lopsided grin.

"It's just the sound the stupid things makes, ok? It's funny."

Ben relaxed into the bunk, "I've really missed this."

"Me too," Katie answered quietly.

* * *

><p>"No! Absolutely not!" Kristin snapped, glaring at Jonathan.<p>

"Doc…" he started sitting up slowly, smiling widely at her. "I need to dive, if I don't, we could be stuck here for days. Then I'll come right back. You can babysit me all you want then."

She rebuffed his attempt to sweet talk her. "You aren't leaving his room, much less this ship. If you pass out when you are under three thousand meters, you don't have a chance. Do you want to be scooped up by Mr. Krieg?" Kristin tried to appeal to Jonathan's pride. "Do you think he will ever let you live that down?"

He blinked, and his smile slipped. "I hadn't thought about that. But why would I pass out? I feel fine." Jonathan continued to argue for the sake of it.

"I know for certain you haven't eaten for at least a whole day, and I doubt you have slept in the last couple days. The IV drip is giving you some of your nutrients back, but it will take time." Kristen informed him unequivocally. The fact that he didn't dispute her statement only proved her assumption.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan," she said in a more gentle tone. "I know the pressures you are under, but even the UEO brass wouldn't order you out there. One small mistake would have dire consequences."

He nodded, and laid back silently, accepting small bowl of broth when it was offered. Nathan entered the medbay as Jonathan drank, and he nearly spilled on himself in his eagerness to speak to the captain before Kristin.

Unfortunately, she caught the reaction and turned to see Nathan. "I will say the same to you as I told the commander. He is not going out there."

Nathan put his hands up and took a step back before he answered. "I wasn't going to say a thing."

"Sir, I really am feeling better, can't we work something out?" Jonathan pressed. "It'll only take me a few hours at most."

Kristin's eyes flashed in anger, "I will make a deal with you, Commander, allow me to give you one last injection, then decide."

"Accepted," he answered smugly. Jonathan missed the triumphant expression that crossed Kristin's face when he agreed. If he had seen it, he would have run.

After administering the shot directly into his IV, Kristin stepped back and simply waited. Jonathan stared back defiantly for a minute, finally he looked confused. "What… what was in that?"

Slowly his eyelids started to droop, then his chin hit his chest. Nathan shook his head, looking at the man breathing deeply in front of him. "That was a sedative, wasn't it?"

"He should have asked what it was _before_ agreeing."

"So, before that happens over here, what is your story?" Henry asked from his bed on the other side of the medbay.

They had watched the exchange between the three adults with no small amount of amusement. Lucas had a sneaking suspicion he would be next on the doctor's radar.

He set down the computer tablet, and chewed his lip. "Ah, well, it's a long one."

"I think I might have some time. She hasn't glared at us lately." Henry responded dryly, glancing to Kristin who was still looking over the slumbering body of Jonathan, and checking his vitals. "Does she always override orders?"

Lucas laughed, "when she thinks it in our best interest."

The laugh crawled back into his throat to die when the subject of their discussion walked over. She gave them a severe look. "One hour, Lucas, then he needs to sleep."

He nodded mutely, and Kristin left them. Henry raised an eyebrow. "You all seem cowed by her."

"Cowed?" Lucas wrinkled his face in confusion.

"Um, you obey her without question."

"Oh!" Lucas shrugged, "it's just easier. She's kinda scary when she's mad. And she really does care."

"So," Henry chuckled, "how did you come to be here?" He hoped a sudden subject change may loosen the young man's tongue. He was not disappointed.

Lucas sighed, "my dad is kind of an inventor. He had a few important projects going on. I guess I got in the way." He fidgeted with the blanket on Henry's bed. "I mean, I tried to help a few times and it didn't go well. He sent me away to college first, and I thought it might be different when I got done. It wasn't."

"This is some kind of punishment?"

"He thought a military sub would teach me some _discipline_." Lucas responded with a trace of cynicism. "But I do like it here, after I got used to it."

Henry nodded, "Icarus."

"What?"

He flushed, "forgive me, I have a weakness for the classic stories. Daedalus, his father, was a craftsman and builder. But Icarus was also very bright in his own way. He helped his father build some of his inventions. Many people believe Daedalus was jealous of his own child, and allowed him to be captured with him."

"Whatever the reason, Icarus was imprisoned simply for being with his father. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and related to the wrong person. Much like you."

Lucas was staring at him, dumbstruck. Because of the expression, Henry realized he was speaking his theory with great passion. He stopped talking abruptly and looked away uncomfortably. "Sorry, my mind makes connections that aren't there."

"No," Lucas grinned. "I actually like that, it makes a lot of sense. And I've seen enough people like me crash and burn, I'll never get too close to the sky."

"That's reassuring to hear." Henry paused, looking at him from the corner of his eye. "Do you mind if I call you that? Icarus?"

Lucas seemed almost hurt. "Why? Don't you like my name?"

"No," Henry quickly shook his head. "It isn't that. One... One of the men on our base was named Lucas... Luke actually. He was five years older than I. When I was lonely or just plain scared, he looked out for me. He was..."

"Like a brother." Lucas supplied quietly.

Henry nodded, "yes, and I could hear him. Above all the noise when we were attacked. I could hear him yelling my name, trying to find me." He hid his face. "But I still ran, I left him to die."

"Hey," Lucas reached out to touch Henry's knee. The man tensed automatically at the contact, but then relaxed and looked up. "Look at this way: if you had gone to him, you would probably be dead. You wouldn't have fallen in the ice, and we wouldn't have found you."

He grinned, "this world is pretty cool now. You'll have fun as soon as we find you a place to live. If you're as good as you seem, you can get a job anywhere. Maybe even on the ship."

"Yes," Henry agreed quickly. "From what I've seen already, I have truly left the cave."

Lucas smirked at him. "Hey, I know that one! The guys chained to the wall only seeing shadows, right? And it isn't until one of them gets to leave that, he sees what life can actually be."

Henry laughed, "a shortened version. My teachers would slap my hands for wording it like that, but yes, you are correct."

The sound of a throat clearing grabbed their attention. "I think that's my hint." Lucas muttered, glancing in Kristin's direction. She was standing with her back towards them, pretending to not listen.

Lucas pressed him fingers to his lips, and picked up the tablet. After ensuring the video was sent to his private computer, he passed it over. "Some bedtime reading," he whispered. "But if you get caught with it, you don't know me."

Henry nodded, and stowed the computer under his pillow with a wink. "Will you be around in the morning?"

"I'll probably have some work to do, but yeah, I'll be around." Lucas answered, standing and starting to walk away. "G'night, ex-corpse-icle dude."

"Good night, Icarus."


	11. Chapter 11

"Still with me O'Neill?" Nathan called out softly.

Tim jerked his head up, and shook himself. "Yes, sir." He knew he had been dosing off at his communications console, and flushed with embarrassment.

"How does it sound out there?"

"Quiet, some ice grinding, but that's it, sir." Tim blinked away the sleep that trying creep back into his eyes.

It was only the two of them manning the bridge. Nathan had sent everyone else away for some much needed rest. Tim volunteered to stay with him. Between the two of them, they were keeping an eye on all of the systems. It was exhausting work, but necessary. In a few hours, they would be relieved, and could finally relax.

The ship not being able to move was actually very helpful. Two people would not have been able to run everything if it had been running fully. As it was, there had been some jogging back and forth to different stations, but they had a handle on the situation.

"Captain Bridger?" Lucas entered the bridge and very quiet atmosphere.

"I thought you were sleeping." Nathan responded, looking up from Miguel's sensor screen in surprise.

Lucas shrugged, "I wanted to go over the environmental reports. I've haven't really looked at them since Henry woke up."

Nathan nodded, he knew how excited the teen was to have someone his own age on the ship, even if technically they were from very different generations. It made him proud that while obviously distracted, Lucas was still dedicated to the job at hand. "I appreciate that. What do you have for me?"

Lucas handed him a printout. "It's warming up out there. This time of year it can still go either way."

"So we shouldn't have such a hard time with the ice collecting on the engines." Nathan started to sigh with relief, but saw the troubled expression on Lucas' face. "What else?"

"Well, there's some reports of icebergs and even the shelf breaking up. I think we're low enough that nothing will hit us, but there is still a chance."

"Thank you Kiddo, we'll keep an eye on it." Nathan smiled as Lucas suppressed a huge yawn. "You better get some sleep."

Lucas nodded, "yeah, I'm going to try and finish the search for Henry's family first. After that I will, it shouldn't take long." He raised an eyebrow, "what about you? You look pretty burnt out."

"Uh," Nathan glanced away, and whispered. "I won't tell Kristin if you don't."

"Deal!"

* * *

><p>Lucas cursed softly, rubbing his tired eyes. He had been searching the navel records from World War Two for several hours. Although he found many 'Henry Johnsons' listed, none had the correct accompanying picture or information. It was such a common name, each minor lead ended up in frustration and wasted time. "Oh come on, I just want to know the guy's family. Cousins, great great grandnephew, anything."<p>

He grinned as he thought of Henry's nickname. _Icarus_ seemed oddly fitting. And after dealing with Mycroft and The Regulator, Lucas was fully aware of the consequences of flying too high. Being an underachiever had its risks as well. As long as he had people like Captain Bridger and the rest of the crew to ground him, Lucas was sure he'd be able to navigate smoothly.

He wondered briefly if Henry had some training in psychology. He had pegged him so well in the short time they spent together, the man must have some background in the field. Maybe it was just a gift, a natural ability to read people.

Changing tactics, and claiming his wandering mind back, Lucas decided to search for UDT units lost during the war. This too came up empty. "I thought it was all declassified. Why wouldn't it be listed?" He grumbled to himself.

After that proved to be yet another unsatisfying dead end, Lucas started up the video he recorded. He found a good shot of Henry looking up, froze it and copied it. Quickly starting an image search, and got up to stretch. He was sure it would take some time and his stomach growled, informing him he was missing breakfast. "Might as well eat something. And maybe I can sleep a few hours before anyone needs me."

He was to pulling on a pair of jeans when the computer beeped at him. Lucas looked up, surprised. His blue eyes went wide, then narrowed when he saw the report. He expected a fake name and age, maybe even a fully falsified background, but this... this was just horrifying.

Desperate to prove himself wrong, Lucas reran the search with a new name. The same information flashed back him. "You son of a bitch!"

* * *

><p>The vid-screen blinked back at him: <em>Connection lost<em>. "Damn it! What is he doing? This should have been simple and quick."

The man, half covered in shadow, angrily rubbed his face. He glanced to his silent partner, "is he ducking us, or did the crew figure out how to block us out?"

An impassive stare was the only answer. "Ah, you're probably right. Wolenczak must have worked some of his magic. He doesn't know what's good for him, he's always had a misplaced sense of honor and duty. Following Bridger without question, believing everyone has good intentions."

He scoffed scornfully. "Well, there are ways around that boy. Load up, we're taking a trip. I _will_ get what's owed to me."

* * *

><p>Lucas stormed into the medbay. In the back of his mind, he noted Jonathan sprawled on his cot, not moving. He didn't care, he was too enraged for it to matter.<p>

Henry was sitting up in his own bed, his breakfast next to him, reading from the tablet computer.

"You lied to me, to all of us!" Lucas snarled, tearing the tablet out of Henry's hands and typing in a search. He tossed it into the man's lap, glowering at him. "You could have just told us."

Henry flinched away from the picture and the anger in Lucas' voice. He was so startled, his eating utensils were still in his fingers. Clutching them in one hand, he picked up the small computer. On the screen, his own much younger face stared back at him. A cocky grin stretched was across his face. 'Hans Jung, _Rottenführer_ (section leader) of the Hitler Youth, 1939.'

'Moved on to espionage and assassinations in the early years of WW2. Was heavily decorated for his work with explosives and his ability to blend in with any crowd. Speaking four languages fluently, he was often sent behind enemy lines to disrupt supply deliveries, or gather information on coming attacks. Because of his young age (undocumented, but reported to be sixteen or seventeen at his last sighting), Jung was accepted as a close friend by many of the very people he dispatched.'

'Believed to have killed in a raid on the Arctic Circle after sinking several Allied ships, resulting in the death of hundreds of soldiers. His body was not found.'

"You were just a spy, a murderer." Lucas said angrily. "Hundreds… it says you killed hundreds. No wonder you ran."

"Icarus..." He started, "I can explain."

"Don't call me that." Lucas growled. "You know what? I don't think I want to hear it, _Hans_."

Hans' hand twisted the knife he was using and dropped the fork beside the bed. "Perhaps you are right about the name. Would Prometheus be a better name?"

"What?" Lucas blinked at the strange question.

He held the knife in a defense grip, raising it. "He took the knowledge he was imparted, and gave it away to the undeserving. He was punished severely for it." He looked deep into Lucas' eyes, his own turning cold and hard. "The only question is, what knowledge did you give out?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Who did you tell?"

Lucas snarled at him, his arms crossed over his chest. "Does it matter _Hans_? You can't take on the whole crew with a steak knife."

He sounded brave, but took a step back. Even though Lucas was infuriated, he knew the possibility of the man doing some damage with the weapon. He thought of the proverbs about cornered animals, and was tempted to back off further. But the look in Han's eyes shifted, stopping him. It was confused, and almost sad.

Hans looked at the blade in his hand with the same detached expression. His fingers loosened, and he dropped it. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had it."

"Bull!" Lucas screamed, "just another lie."

"Please, Icarus." Hans struggled to his feet, wincing as he put weight on the injured leg. "Did you tell anyone?"

"Yeah, he did." Chief Crocker entered the medbay with Shan at his heels. "I told you to wait for us, Lucas."

He only shrugged, "I wanted to talk to him. Or I thought I did. That was before he pulled a knife."

"I didn't... I wasn't..."Hans' shoulders slumped, and he sat on the bed.

Lucas scoffed, "whatever. I'll wake up Captain Bridger." He spun on his heel and stalked from the room.

After watching him go, Crocker approached Hans guardedly. "I can't pull you out of here without the Doc's say so. But I will lock you up." He held up a pair of handcuffs.

Hans complied, only watching as one wrist was cuffed to the railing on the bed. "I suppose it's for the best. You would have found out eventually, and American slang is so very distasteful."

* * *

><p>Lucas tried to concentrate on his work, but it was mindless. Running scans on the surrounding area and collecting reports did nothing to stop his thoughts. He leaned back from his computer in disgust. "I can't believe this. He's just a dirty spy."<p>

There was a knock on his door. Lucas was expecting this. He had called the captain on his PAL, but didn't want to talk about it. He kept the explanation short before simply turning off the device. Now he was sure Captain Bridger was checking on him. "Yeah, come in."

"Hey kid, ya got a minute?"

To Lucas' surprise, it was Chief Crocker. A jab of fear slammed into him, and he lurched to his feet. "What's wrong? Did he get away?"

"No, unless he trained to chew through his arm and still fight, Hans ain't going nowhere. Shan is watching him." Crocker added, seeing Lucas' relief. "He keeps askin' for you."

"To bad." Lucas snapped, sitting again. "He shouldn't have lied."

The older man found a spot on Lucas' bed, and settled into it. He clasped his hands together and looked at him intently. "If he had told the truth, how would have you reacted?"

"I... I don't know." Lucas admitted, I wouldn't have trusted him, or talked to him much, I guess."

His expression turned defensive. "But he's just a Nazi. He deserves to rot in a jail."

Crocker only nodded, still watching him. "Why? Why does it matter now? That's where he's going... right?"

"Lucas, I know you usually only pay attention to things with a circuit board, but how much d'you know about the war?"

"World War two? I donno, the usual I guess." He shrugged, "whatever they taught us in school."

"Anything about the Germans?"

"Uh, they killed over six million Jews and tried to take over the world." Lucas raised an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure they were the bad guys."

Crocker chose his words very carefully, "do you happen to know the difference between a German solider and a Nazi solider?"

"I didn't think there was."

"The lay man's version is that Nazis were a political group. They did have their own army, but most of them were high rankin' military officers in the army." Crocker took a deep breath. "Ya'll have to understand, the Germans have a deep sense of duty. When a solider is given an order, no matter if they like it or not, they follow it. Many of 'em didn't like what the government was doing but they had no choice."

Lucas chewed his lip, "so why even join in the first place?"

"Do you know the punishment they had for ignorin' the call to fight?" Crocker asked patiently.

Lucas shook his head. "Jail? Death?"

"Death, but not in the way you're thinkin'." He stared at the young man with intensity. "They would come to your home and kill your family, your neighbors, your friends. You had to choose between killing people you didn't know and losing everything."

"What if you still didn't?" Lucas asked, "did they go further? Like put them in jail or… torture?"

Crocker shook his head, "then they let you alone. Alone, knowin' all your people were dead 'cause you didn't want to do what thousands of men your age were doing willingly."

"That's horrible," Lucas whispered. "Why didn't people try to stop them?"

Crocker nodded, "they did. Even at the beginning. Any political opposition was thrown into concentration camps. They were the first to go actually."

"But Hans was in the Hitler Youth, he _was_ a Nazi." Lucas argued, he vowed not to be as quick to forgive.

"Yes, at a very young age. If you were told from birth, that a certain group of people destroyed what your nation was, and never heard anything different, what would you believe?" Crocker tilted his head searchingly. "Lucas, there was no such thing as the internet, very little tv, no protesters trying to tell people that someone was lyin'. Information was tightly controlled. All you knew was what you were told."

"History has always been written by the victors, remember that." He leaned back against the wall beside the bed, finally dropping his intense gaze.

Lucas didn't have a response right away. He had never heard the security officer talk about something with this much passion. There was also a lot of sadness evident in his voice. He had always viewed Manilow Crocker as a goofy uncle. Someone who did the job needed, but always had smile and lame joke for anyone who needed it. This was a very different side of the man. "How do you know all this?"

"My grandfather was German. He was forced into the army. He had to do terrible things, and saw even worse things happen in front of him." When Crocker looked up again, his eyes were wet. "I remember the nightmares he had, years after the war and across the ocean. It affected the rest of his life."

"How old was he?"

"Thirty-five when the war started. They didn't care that he had a wife and child. They didn't care that his family might starve if he wasn't there. They just told him to go fight."

Lucas stared at the floor, scuffing the toe of his sneaker. "I'm sorry. I never really heard about it from that side."

"Not many have." Crocker sighed, "well, after the war ended, him, my grandmother, and my mother made it out to the US. They barely escaped before the wall went up, and people couldn't leave. They found a place to live and worked hard, keepin' their heads down and mouths shut. Things weren't great for German's anywhere then. Everyone thought they were there to cause trouble. My mom was called 'germy the German' in grade school. By kids, little ones who hated them only for being from a certain country."

"He use to tell me stories about the war when I was old enough to hear. I think he just needed to get his story out. And it was why I joined the Navy. I thought, maybe, I could undo some of the damage he was forced to do."

"Hans was only fourteen when he joined." Lucas mused quietly. "I just can't imagine that. Why would they do that to a kid?"

The older man stood, "sometimes even the good military leaders forget all those numbers are actually people. We're lucky to have Bridger, he never loses his humanity."

"Yeah," Lucas nodded, "I know."

"Are you goin' to talk to him?"

Lucas stood and started digging through a pile on the floor. "I just need to find something first. I was going to bring it today anyhow. Now it can just be a peace offering."

He stood, grinning, and holding up a black messenger style bag. "He should have fun with…"

The ship lurched sharply, dropping down several feet on portside. Crocker and Lucas were thrown into a painful tangle of arms and legs.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's NoteDisclaimer: So... uh, not doing the holocaust denier thing (because I'm mostly sane), but this is basically my grandfather's story, and my husband's grandfather was similar. Even the "germy the german" thing. My mom heard that most of her childhood. The Japanese went through much of the same, if not worse. I just thought it was fitting, if sad, for this story. :) **

**And thanks so much to Tracy for helping me with Crocker's lines! **


	13. Chapter 13

Nathan and Kristin had been discussing what Lucas found out about Hans in the medbay, when the ship moved under their feet. He quickly grabbed her in his arms, and kept the doctor on top of his body. They landed a few feet away from where they started. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, thank you, Nathan." Kristin tried to pull herself loose, but he held her tight.

"There might be another one." He smiled mischievously. The alarm started to sound, and the grin twisted into thin, grim line. "Well, it was fun while it lasted."

"Duty calls, Captain." Kristen stood, and dusted her coat off. A short whimper caught her attention, and she quickly abandoned him.

Hans had tumbled off his bed during the sharp jerk, and his still cuffed wrist was twisted painfully behind and above his head. His body was half under the cot, tangled in the various cords that ran the machines around him. Hans tried to crawl out and stand, to lessen the weight pulling down, but couldn't get his feet under him without further bending the wrist. Every time he moved, it caused him to blow out his breath in a pained hiss.

Kristin didn't like the angle of his arm, and hurried to him. "I need the keys." She called to Shan, who was picking himself off the ground as well.

It seems only Commander Ford escaped unaffected. Although he had shifted on the cot, he was still sleeping peacefully. Nathan gave him one wry look before vacating the area to let Kristin work. "I'm afraid to know how strong that injection was."

Shan quickly unlocked the cuff, and helped Kristin stand Hans up. He pulled away from her, cradling his arm. "Why do you care? I know you saw the report on Icarus' computer, I heard you talking about it. I'm just a war criminal. I know what you need to do, don't pretend otherwise."

"I don't care what you did, you're injured and it is my job to treat you." She saw the astonishment in his light grey eyes. Slowly, he let her have the arm back, still watching her closely. He didn't seem to know what to say.

She examined the twisted wrist. "It isn't broken, but it is moderate sprain. I'll put a brace on it, and you'll feel fine in a few days. You'll need an ice pack too, it's starting to swell."

She hurried to fetch her supplies, leaving the men alone. Shan stood warily, but not in a threatening manner. Finally, Hans found his voice. "You trust me… after what I did and how I lied."

"I wouldn't go that far." Shan corrected, "we'll help you, and secure you again. After we find out all of the truth, you might get some freedoms."

Hans shook his head. "I don't understand you people. I am at your mercy, why are you treating me as if I'm not a prisoner?"

"Even prisoners have rights." Shan said shortly, "and you said it yourself. You are at our mercy, we aren't in the habit of abusing anyone. We'll fight to the death to help you, unless you stab us in the back. Then we'll fight to the death to stop you."

* * *

><p>The ship lurched again as Nathan jogged down the corridor, and the lights flickered off, followed by the alarm. He slowed, waiting for the emergency lamps to come on. They did, and he continued his trek at the same hurried pace. Near the bridge, he tripped over a still body in the shadows.<p>

Quickly turning the figure, Nathan saw it was Tim, a thick stream of blood ran from his temple. Holding his breath, he checked for a pulse. It beat strongly under his fingers. Nathan stood again, and jogged the rest of the way to the bridge.

"I need something to take O'Neill to the medbay, he's just outside the doors, unconscious." He ordered upon entering.

Ben was leaning over Katie at her station, she nursed a quickly darkening and bloody eye. "I'll bring him, I can get an icepack there, sir."

"You'll need help, Shepard, go with." The man nodded, and left his post. "Any other injuries?"

"Nothing severe, sir." Miguel informed him.

Nathan crossed to his station, "ok, next question: what happened?"

Miguel showed him the WSKR view. "The icebergs are breaking apart. Most are staying floating, but some are mixed with so much rock and dirt that they sink when they don't have the buoyancy of the larger whole anymore. We thought there would be more warning before this happened. Maybe it's warmer up there than we thought."

"What are the WSKR's reporting the temperature as?"

"Just barely above zero centigrade, sir." Miguel answered, after glancing at his screen.

Nathan paused, "that's what it was yesterday. If it was warming up quickly, I'd expect this."

"That was our thinking."

"Just keep an eye on it, there isn't a lot we can do. What's the damage?"

"Not so bad up here," Katie called, pulling the front of her console off and checking the wiring. "I need to check on what's happening with the lights. Essential operations are responding. Environmental is functioning, and communications look ok, but the PAL's don't seem to be connecting. Anything beyond the basic computer control seems to be out."

She glanced at a reading one last time before adding as an afterthought: "The engines aren't responding, but that's about the same."

"And here I thought a ton of ice would knock them into working." Nathan smirked, he knew how bad the situation was getting but refused to lower morale. Katie returned the grin before ducking down.

"Judging from the loose connections I have," she continued from underneath her computer, "I'm betting the same happened all over."

"Try to find Lucas, he can help you fix it. Stop and see if Kristin can fix up your eye first. I don't need another officer staying in the medbay for something preventable." Nathan glanced around the bridge. "We can handle everything up here."

He sighed, shaking his head, "not that we can do much."

* * *

><p>"You ok, kid?" Crocker rasped from under Lucas.<p>

He detangled himself quickly. "I think so, I'm just a little banged up. What about you?" In the dim lighting, Lucas eyed the small but growing smear of blood on the older man's forehead.

"Bounced off the wall, but it ain't bad enough for the Doc to hunt me down." He winced, and held one arm around his lower abdomen. "What she doesn't see, she don't know about."

Lucas tossed him a shirt from the floor, Crocker nodded his thanks and held it to the oozing injury. "Did someone fire at us?"

"Don't think so, it felt different." Crocker reached into his pocket, growling when he pulled out his hand. Pieces of plastic and wiring were all that remained of his PAL. "Damnit. I thought it was just my ribs crackin' I heard. Got yours?"

"Yeah," Lucas grabbed his own communicator off the bed and tossed it.

Crocker called out, but got no reply, only static. "We'll have to do it the old fashion way."

He was about to open his door and venture out into the corridor, when the computer chirped loudly at them. Lucas looked at in surprise. "I have a message."

"So?"

"_So_, it's a private message service that only a few people know how to access. They all know I won't be reachable for a few days." He crossed back and tapped his keyboard. "And I have no idea who this is… but this is probably bad."

Crocker leaned over his shoulder, "yeah, I'd say that's bad."

The screen blinked the same message over and over at them. "_Reinstate communications or I will drop another one on you_."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Yikes! I didn't realize it had been a week since I last posted. You guys are allowed to get after me when that happens! Blame the husband being off, or the in-laws needing help with a remodel, or the mild injury from helping with said remodel... Whoever thought it was a good idea to let me be around a construction site was sadly misinformed.<strong> **Anyhow, I should have more in a day or two.**


	14. Chapter 14

"I need to tell the Cap." Crocker announced after reading the message several times. "Is there any way to tell where it came from?"

Lucas shook his head. "Not from an instant message. It goes through to many servers. That's why so many hackers like this company, it's untraceable."

"Communications ain't even down, last I heard." Crocker grumbled, "what's he talkin' about?"

Lucas shrugged, "I know our signal hasn't be great under all the ice. Maybe that's it."

"So how did this get through?"

"You don't need a steady connection to send something simple like text. If my computer wasn't even hooked up, it would just hold it until I could see the message. For video or even just audio, you need a better signal." Lucas scowled, "whoever this is, probably gets the call to connect then it drops out. No wonder he thinks we're blocking him."

Crocker stared at the screen, willing it to make more sense to him. Finally, he sighed, "can you at least send a message back that it isn't us?"

"Yeah, of course. But he's signed out." Lucas tapped the text box labeled _offline_. "He won't get it until he logs back in."

"Hey, don't ya'll have names for these messages? Tags or somethin'?"

Lucas couldn't help laughing at the question. "Screen names? Kind of. But his is just numbers, see? The Fibonacci sequence actually. It's pretty cool, and no one can guess who he is."

"Fiba..." Crocker shook his head and pushed away from the computer. "Kid, ya lost me back there after instant message. I'll be on the bridge. See what you can do, then you better come explain it."

Lucas nodded, and started to type.

* * *

><p>Kristin handed Hans two pills, he took them doubtfully, but only held them. "They will help with the pain, dear." She explained kindly.<p>

"I don't like taking anything that will dull my senses. Especially after watching what you did to him." He pointed to Jonathan, and tried to hand them back.

"Commander Ford is a special case." Kristin retorted, and suppressed a sigh. "They are simply an anti-inflammatory medication." Commotion from the medbay door attracted her attention, and the doctor turned away. "If you are currently uncomfortable taking them, keep them close until you feel the need."

Ben and Shepard carried Tim, each on one end of the slack body. "Now what?"

"Captain Bridger found him, we think he hit his head." Ben panted after laying Tim on a spare bed. "He's breathing and everything though."

Kristin nodded, and started her examination of the officer. She felt the area of skull under the laceration while speaking over her shoulder. "What's going on out there? Where we attacked?"

"Part of the ice shelf broke off and hit the ship." Ben watched her pull up Tim's eyelids to shine a penlight into his pupils. "Is he going to be ok?"

Kristin nodded, turning the light off and slipping it into her pocket. "I believe so. He may have a mild concussion, but his skull seems to be rather hard."

Ben smirked, "can you please _please_ put that in his records?"

* * *

><p>"Communications haven't been blocked." Nathan retorted angrily. "We can't help if the ice is stopping any calls."<p>

Crocker stared back impassively. He knew his captain's irritation wasn't aimed at him, and wasn't much bothered. "That's what Lucas said."

"Ortiz, pull all but one WSKR off the watch for icebergs and find who ever this is. They have to be close if they caused it." Nathan snapped, while watching the vid-screen closely.

The WSKR's flew around the ship, searching. "There!" Crocker called out, pointing.

"He's hiding right on top of us. What kind of idiot drops something above himself while he's in the line of fire?!" Nathan slammed his fist down on a console.

"Someone who don't care if he lives." Crocker said drily. "Or he's just cocky."

Miguel sent the WSKR's after the small sub hovering just inches above the skin of the SeaQuest. "He's running, sir!" He called out as the sub's engines kicked on and it shot out of range.

"Can you work the probe well enough to chase him?"

Miguel nodded, "I think so, sir."

He was putting the controls on when Lucas jogged onto the bridge. "Captain, can I check something on the WSKR's?"

"In a minute, Kiddo, we need to find out who this first." Nathan replied in a soft tone.

Lucas was already at Miguel's station. "I just need to see the recording, nothing live. I have a hunch. All I need is to be lucky enough that one of the WSKR's was aimed right."

Nathan nodded his approval, and looked back at the main screen. The probe launched, following in the wake of the mini-sub, but couldn't get close. "He's too fast, sir. Maybe Katie could catch him, but... me?" Miguel shrugged apologetically.

"Just try to keep him in visual range."

"Captain," Lucas hesitantly broke the tense atmosphere a minute later. "You need to see this."

He stepped back, letting Nathan and Crocker see the small screen directly in front of him. "See that? Way in the upper corner? Right after the first piece of ice falls."

A small object could be see streaking through the clear water. It hit the back of the SeaQuest, and white bands of electricity arched out. "What the..." Crocker breathed with shock in his eyes.

"An EMP. After I replied to the message, I started digging into the ships systems. A lot of them are fried."

"Why not your computer? Or anything up here?" Nathan asked, rewinding the footage and watching it closely.

Lucas chewed his lip, "until I can actually look at it, I can only guess. If whoever it was wanted our attention, but not kill us, it would have to be a very specialized one. Something that would knock out most of the engines and not the life support or..." He trailed off and pulled out his phone, checking the screen. "The ship's Wi-Fi."

Nathan looked up sharply. "Weapons?"

Crocker interrupted them, "we would have known by now. If any of the computers or sensors are working they alert us the second there's an issue with the weapons... right?"

Lucas nodded, "that's how I designed it, but..." He started to type. He scowled, and only looked confused before continuing. "That doesn't make sense."

"What?" Nathan asked breathlessly, staring at the code.

"The alarm was blocked. We'd only know once we tried to fire or looked for it. We only have some of the weapons. The warheads weren't affected, but not the smaller missiles. There's just no access, like they're gone. Why would someone do that?"

Crocker touched Lucas' arm lightly. "What else are we locked out of?"

"I... I don't know yet. I'll have to do a system by system check. Why?" He was unnerved by the worried expression on the older man's face.

"The weapons lockers, see if you can get in them."

Lucas started typing, dread weighing in his stomach. "Nothing, they're completely gone. I can't even get anything to prove we have them. What does this mean?"

Crocker was silent for a few moments, then responded in a tense voice. "If someone wants workin' warheads, wants to take them, and doesn't want a big fight, what would they do?"

Nathan answered the disturbing question. "Show us what they can do, then take away our ability to stop them."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note: I hope you don't mind that it's a long one! ;)**

* * *

><p>"Can't we use the warheads?" Lucas asked breathlessly. "I know they're overkill, but if that's the only other option..."<p>

Nathan shook his head. "Even if I wasn't worried about destroying ecosystem for hundreds of kilometers around, it would bring down the rest of the ice sheet on top of us. He knows exactly what he's doing."

"Why didn't he show up on anything?" He continued angrily. "No one should have been able to get this close. Who could hide like that?"

"Sir..." Miguel started quietly. "I've lost him, I'm sorry. He disappeared into one of the areas heavily littered with ice. I just couldn't follow."

Nathan nodded shortly, and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Nothing we can do about it now, Ortiz. Just keep an eye out for him."

"Cap," Crocker spoke up. "Two of ya can't watch every system at once. He'll be able to slip by again."

"We're running a little low on crew." Nathan growled back.

Lucas glanced up from the screen. "I can take over Tim's station and help with the WSKR's."

"Did you sleep at all?"

"Uh..." Lucas already knew he terrible at lying, and opted for a slow answer to buy himself time.

He was luckily saved when Jonathan walked in, looking groggy and half supported by Ben and Shepard. "Or I can do my part, sir."

"She released you?" Nathan asked with a raised eyebrow as the men made their way onto the bridge.

Jonathan nodded, "more or less. I have to wait an hour before I dive, if I pass out or get light headed I'm supposed to report to her again. And after we're done, I go right back. It took a lot less negotiating than I thought. I think our doctor is ready for warmer waters."

"Her beds filling up helped." Ben cut it with a smirk. He took over for a very relieved looking Miguel.

"Katie?" Nathan was suddenly concerned that his Lt. Commander hadn't made a reappearance. Even if she was already at work fixing the loose or fried wiring, Katie would have checked in after seeing Kristin.

"Cracked orbital bone." Ben grimaced, "I knew she hit the console hard, but I didn't think it was that bad."

Jonathan heaved himself into one of the seats. "Her eye is almost completely closed from the swelling. She won't be able operate the probe, or even pilot until it goes down."

"Crocker see what you can do about the weapons lockers. Break them if necessary." Nathan said casually. In truth, he was very worried about the possibilities of not being able to fight off their attacker.

"Yes, sir." The security chief ambled from the bridge, still holding his side.

"Between the five of us, we should be able to cover everything." Ben glanced around the bridge at the men.

"Six!" Lucas corrected, after watching him leave. "I can help too."

Nathan considered his options. Now that he had the hands he needed, he didn't want the young man up in the bridge. They had no way of knowing who was attacking them, or exactly why. Sending Lucas back to his quarters was the safest place for him. But, of course, it meant risking raising the boy's stubborn streak.

"I have something more important for you." Nathan said carefully. "Head to the medbay and talk to Katie. Work with her on getting the circuits fixed up. You'll have to be her hands and feet."

Lucas stared at him a few seconds, trying to decide if he was being shunted away. He knew the importance of getting all of the systems working, but something in Captain Bridger's tone sent up single flares. "Ok... I guess that's fine. I can check on Hans too."

He was turning to leave when his phone buzzed in his pocket. "Oh!" Pulling it out quickly, Lucas flashed the screen to Nathan. "Uh, I have the messenger on my phone. He said... _Understood_, _standby_."

The men all blinked in confusion. "What kind of person attacks us, then gives us time like that?" Miguel wondered quietly.

"Keep a close watch, everyone. I don't like this. It doesn't make sense." Nathan ordered. The crew nodded, and went to their stations, monitoring the strange turn of events.

Lucas paused, "Captain, um... Before I go..."

"What is it Kiddo?" Nathan saw the hesitation, and walked him to the clamshell doors.

"These attacks, and messages, do you think it has anything to do with Hans? Either someone trying to save him... or kill him?"

Nathan shook his head almost immediately. "No one knows he's here. It was a bizarre chance that we even found him. I know it's a strange coincidence, but why would a person formulate a plan with so much that could go wrong?"

"Yeah, I know..." Lucas shrugged, "it's just kinda weird."

"Go talk to him, ask him about how he was really frozen. If he slips up, we'll have an answer." Nathan clapped a hand on his back, ushering Lucas out the door.

The blond slowed enough to cast a smug grin. "I _do_ totally know what you're doing. I'm going, I'm going."

Nathan snorted, "well, _I_ thought I was being subtle."

* * *

><p>Lucas stopped for a quick word with Shan, positioned outside of the door of the medbay. He adjusted a messenger bag on his shoulder, and leaned against the wall next to him.<p>

The security officer grinned tiredly, "you look as wiped as I feel, kid."

"Don't let the doc hear you say that. She's already drugged one officer. I don't think she'll stop for us."

Shan laughed, "make that two officers, Katie's out too."

"She'll be hypnotizing us next, making sure we have sleep schedules." Lucas grinned and faked a shudder. "That would be creepy."

The sound Shan's laugh followed him into the medbay. Lucas stopped next to Tim first. Looking paler than usual, he gave him a short wave. "What happened?"

The communications officer frowned, "I'd love to say I did something heroic, but I think I just wiped out."

"How do you feel?"

Tim offered a small grin. "Sore, seeing triple, but ok."

Lucas nodded, glancing over to Katie's bed. Her face was covered in bruises, and she was fast asleep. "The doctor had to reset her cheek bone." Tim shivered, "I was awake enough to hear it. Remind me never to smash my face."

Kristin hurried over, her sharp eyes inspecting Lucas for injury. "Katie is going to be fine. I had to give her something for the pain." She smiled warmly at the worried looking young man. Since he seemed to have escaped any major damage, she moved on to other patients.

Hans watched them silently, the ever present tablet computer held awkwardly in his good hand. It, in turn, was now cuffed to the bed. The other was thickly wrapped and resting on an ice bag. Lucas took a deep breath, and crossed to him, setting the bag on the floor.

"Um... Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I believe I am faring better than some of your friends." Hans nodded towards the occupied beds.

Lucas shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Listen, I... uh, wanted to say sorry. For wigging out on you like that. It just surprised me, and I got pissed. I should have just asked you before calling in the troops."

"It was warranted, Icarus." Hans replied with a nonchalant shrug. Lucas' lips quirked, "I am sorry, you asked me to stop calling you that."

"No it's ok, I still like it." He sat on the edge of the bed. Hans still tensed, but much less than only hours before.

"But I kinda get it. What you did, I mean. You basically woke up on an enemy ship and were just trying to stay alive." Hans nodded, but didn't add anything. "So, um, what really happened? Were you really a spy?"

The German chewed his lips before answering. "Yes, we all were. What I told you, about stopping the U-boats, was true, but we were targeting Allied ships."

"We all spoke English, and were outfitted with American uniforms and names. Our cover story worked several times, crews even stayed with us. They never suspected... Or so we thought. Someone must have figured it out and we were attacked."

Hans spread out his good hand, pleadingly. His pale grey eyes begged for understanding. "We did as ordered. I hated it though. There's no honor in sinking ships like that. Some were just cargo ships, civilians, and we killed them."

"If you hated it, why did you join the Hitler Youth? Wasn't that like their thing?"

Hans flinched at the question, and his hands started to shake violently. "My... My father made me join."

"How?" Lucas asked quietly, shocked by the sudden change. Tim raised up on one elbow when he heard Hans' voice start to tremble.

"He took me to Dachau, to see the prisoners there when I was twelve. He... He said I could join the Youth and become a solider like him, or stay at the camp."

Tim sucked in a breath, "he took you to a concentration camp?! That's disgusting."

"No," Hans shook his head, "he did it to fix me. I'm the one that was... still am _disgusting_. I couldn't stop, I couldn't be what he wanted. I fought, I killed, I obeyed every order, but I am still...still." His mouth opened slackly. "I disgraced my family."

Hans snorted scornfully as Lucas and Tim could only stare and listen. "I heard about it all through my childhood. How strong my family was, how we could survive anything. We were descendent from the Hessians. We fought off Roman invasion. A good family tree, that somehow ended with _me_." He spat the pronoun, as off the idea of him in own family was a joke.

"How?" Lucas whispered, "I'm sorry, but I think forcing your son to visit at a concentration camp then fight for something he doesn't believe in, is worse." He reached out, and laid a hand on Hans' knee.

The man jerked back violently. "Don't! Don't touch me, Icarus. I'll infect you, I'll infect you and you'll die... Like Luke, and Samuel..." Hans covered his face with the braced hand. "My poor Samuel, if I hadn't..."

"What? Tell us what happened." Lucas pushed.

Hans lifted his head up, his eyes were wide and panicked. "I cannot, if you know what I am, you'll send me off this ship and I'll die. I know I don't deserve to live for what I am, but I am afraid to die."

"No, we won't do that. What are you? What could be worse than a Nazi?"

"I tried, everywhere I went, I tried... But I am still... _Abscheulichkeit_. I am damned. No matter what I do, I'm damned."


	16. Chapter 16

Abrupt understanding flared in Tim's eyes. "No, they were wrong." He struggled out of his bed to join them. When she saw him get up, Kristin started towards him. The quiet communications officer fixed her with a piercing stare, and she backed off. "I even know they were wrong, and I'm still afraid to eat meat on Fridays."

Hans was lost in his thoughts, only shaking his head. "My father called me a schwul hund. He said I was only fit for the camps if I didn't change."

"Halt den Schnabel! What he did is simply _erweitertre_ _verhoermethoden_. Torture, he tortured you to get what he wanted." Tim snarled, shaking as he tried to stay standing.

Hans was shocked into silence, gapping at him. Shan peeked his head around the door, from his post outside, after hearing raised voices. Kristin subtly waved him inside, unsure of what the men were arguing about.

"Um, guys? Translation please? What are you talking about?" Lucas asked hesitantly, looking from face to face.

"He's schwul, um… gay that's all." Tim finally said, realizing how loud he had gotten. He turned red, and made his way back his bed. "Nothing that matters."

"Oh!" Lucas looked surprised for a moment, then scowled. "Really? He did all that just because you're gay?"

Hans blinked slowly, "gay?"

"Um, you like guys."

The young man flushed darkly. "No! I... I can't."

"Dude," Lucas grinned, warmth and kindness reflecting in his eyes. "It's no biggie, no one really cares about that anymore."

"They don't?" Hans whispered, tears beginning to trickle down his cheeks, and he clumsily swiped at them with his braced hand. "I'm not sick?"

"Nope, not all." Lucas shrugged, "So tell us the rest, how did he find out?"

Hans took several deep breaths, obviously still in shock from the information. His voice was flat, as if he was speaking on auto-pilot. Agony stretched across his face, so much so, that Lucas suddenly felt like an intruder on his personal pain. "My friend Samuel, and I, would go into the forest by the military base for days at a time. His family also lived there, but his father was low rank. We carried only our bedrolls and a knife when we went. We made our own hunting tools and fished."

Hans smiled faintly, "we were only supposed to eat what we killed, according to my father. But, Samuel's mother always hid some food in his bedroll. I know now it was to get me ready to fight in a war, to survive. To us, it was just fun."

Lucas wrinkled his nose. He couldn't think of anything less fun than spending days away from civilization. Hans continued, unaware of his company's thoughts. "The last day of our hike, we were swimming in the river. It was the first time that year it was warm enough to tolerate the water for any length of time. We really just wanted to relax and enjoy the afternoon. Our camp was cleaned up, the food was packed for the journey back."

"We swam, collected colored stones, and sunned ourselves. At one point, Samuel started to wrestle with me, he would jump on my back and drag me into the water. Only after we went under, could I get the upper hand. He was heavier, but I was stronger."

"One of the times we came back up, he tripped, trying to get me down again. I caught him, and was just holding him. He… He looked up at me and kissed me." Hans took a ragged breath, twisting the blanket on his bed in his good hand.

"I had never… I don't remember my mother or father ever kissing me. I'd seen it, other families, but never my own. Father didn't believe in affection, I guess it interfered with his plan to make me a strong solider."

Lucas cleared his throat, "sorry, but your dad sounds like an asshole."

A nervous laughed barked from Hans. "Perhaps you are right."

"I liked it and wanted more, I told him so. It grew dark and we decided to stay the night. We didn't think anyone would be much worried if we were only a day late. We laid on the same bedroll, just talking and holding hands. I had never heard of a scwul, I thought what we did was something everyone did. The next morning, my father found us."

"During the night, Samuel and I had rolled into each other, we were facing each other, arms and legs intertwined. My father… He tore us apart, and very quietly told me to get back to base. Not to worry about my things." Hans covered his face, shaking his head. "I never saw Samuel again, his parents were gone the next day. I guess they weren't important enough to stay."

"When I asked about them, father demanded to know exactly what happened. I didn't have the sense to lie, I didn't know what we were doing was so… wicked." Lucas opened his mouth to argue, but closed it with a snap. What good was arguing with something that was said eighty years ago?

"Is that when your father took you to Dachau?" Kristin asked from behind Lucas, causing him to jump as a result of her voice. He was so engrossed by Hans' story he forgot there were other people listening.

Hans nodded, dropping his hand, but not looking up. "That same day. I was terrified, he told me never to tell anyone about what happened in the forest. He said Samuel was gone, and was to never speak of him again."

"Did you?"

He slowly raised his eyes to Lucas. "One person, Icarus, only one."

"Oh… Luke, from…" He pointed straight up. "So… he wasn't really like a brother to you then, huh?"

Hans flushed, "no, and I am sorry for that lie. I feel like I dishonored him with that label. I didn't know I could tell anyone."

Kristin rested her hand on Lucas' shoulder. "I think that is enough for today boys."

"Oh come on, I brought a hard drive for us to play with." Lucas protested. "We won't stay up too late."

She studied the dark circles under his eyes, and weighed the options. Knowing bonding with Lucas could be very good for Hans, Kristin relented. "Only a couple hours, we all need rest."

Taking great care, she leaned down and whispered into his ear. "Thank you, you did a wonderful thing."

"What?" Lucas straighten with a jerk and looked at her, completely lost. "What did I do?"

"You were simply yourself, dear."

After checking on Katie and Tim one last time, Kristin spoke quietly with Shan. "Call me if there are any problems, with any of them." The security officer nodded gravely.

"So, this is called a hard drive." Lucas dumped out the device onto Hans' bed. "It's kind of like the tablet you like so much, but it only holds data, we have to hook up a screen to see it."

Hans awkwardly picked up the long thin box with his free, but braced hand. Keen interest showed on his face. "I think you can learn to fix one. Once you do that, and understand how it works, you can move on to other computer issues." Lucas explained as he pulled tools and extra parts from the bag.

"Is this for fun? Or work?"

"Um," Lucas blinked, then snickered. "Both, I guess. I think it's fun, but most people don't."

From his bed, Tim rolled his eyes at the pair, but smiled. That was all the ship needed, two young computer gurus to taunt and harass the crew. If Hans was able to stay onboard, Tim decided he would need a much better lock on his door. There was simply no point in being an easy target.

A few minutes passed, and Lucas watched Hans drop nearly everything he tried to handle. "Um, hang on, this is stupid."

He quickly crossed the room to Shan, who had allowed himself to relax in a chair now that everyone was settled for the night. "Un-cuff him."

"What? I can't. You know that."

Lucas sighed, "come on, he's not going to do anything. It's only while we're working. And you heard him, he got a bum deal. It's not like he's a bad guy."

"No, Captain Bridger will… you know, I'm not even worried about him. Kristin will kill me if anything happens." Shan shook his head emphatically.

"You know what this means." Lucas growled.

Shan's eyes opened wide, then narrowed defiantly. "You wouldn't…" he swallowed and squared himself for an attack.

Rather than take a menacing step or any other related action, Lucas started to hum. Opening his mouth, he began to sing. "Oh, I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts…"

"Oh god! Stop it! Stop it! I'll do it." Shan covered his ears in a panic. "What was he thinking?! I am going _destroy_ Ben!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I'll try to post tomorrow, but no promises. After that, I probably won't be able to for a few days. I actually have the weekend off with the husband, and he get gets grumpy if I'm staring into space trying to figure out scenes in my head while he's home. :) <strong>


	17. Chapter 17

"Making house calls, Doctor?" Nathan grinned at Kristin after he opened his cabin door. The book he had been reading when she knocked, was quickly and mindlessly discarded.

She smiled back, casually leaning on the edge of the opening. "If you are busy, Captain, I can always retire to my own quarters."

"That would be a shame." He whispered, huskily. "You've come all this way."

Kristin entered and immediately sat on his bunk, sighing gratefully. "It has been too long of a day."

"I'm inclined to agree." Seeing her twist her shoulders uncomfortably, Nathan began to rub the kinks out. "How are all of your patients?"

"Improving. And speaking of them, I wanted to ask you a favor, Nathan."

"I thought I was already doing you one." He breathed into her ear, pushing on a stubborn knot.

It took Kristin a few moments to clear her mind of several _interesting_ invading thoughts. "A slightly more important one. I don't want Hans locked up like some kind of animal. He needs to be able to associate with the crew."

Nathan's hands slowed, and he furrowed his brow. "Is that safe? After what Lucas found out…"

"The poor boy just told us his whole story. He went through hell. If we treat him with some kindness, I believe he can healthy and happy." Kristin turned to face him, taking his hands in her own. "He is so like Lucas, and remember you didn't wholly trust him at first either."

"That's different."

She raised an eyebrow, "because he's from the wrong side of the pond?"

"No… I…" Nathan tried to backpedal, before admitting what Kristin already knew. "I suppose it is partly that, but he also lied. How do you know this story is true?"

"You didn't see his face." Kristin shook her head, and turned away to hide the tears that started to fall. "How could any father do that to a child, no matter what they believe?"

Nathan hadn't heard the story, but seeing her reaction was enough for him. "Ok, I'll tell Crocker he has the run of the ship, within reason. But let him know he has to be careful, those attacks could restart any moment."

"Thank you." Kristin nodded, and looked at him sharply. "What is happening with that? Why aren't we moving yet?"

"Um… We seem to be having a brief hiatus," Nathan turned her and resumed rubbing her back. "I sent Jonathan back to his room to sleep. We'll clean off the engines in the morning."

"Why?" Her voice dipped dangerously, but she didn't push him away.

"He passed out while we were getting him into the DSL suit." Nathan felt Kristin take a deep and annoyed breath. "Your hands were full, and I figured it would have been your treatment anyhow."

Kristin let out a laugh. "I can't argue with that."

"Good to know." Nathan stopped working on her tense shoulders and wrapped an arm around her collarbone. "Anything else you want to argue about?"

She kissed his edge of his wrist, "I have a few ideas to discuss, but no, no arguments come to mind."

"Actions speak louder than words." Nathan murmured into her ear, tugging on it gently with his teeth.

Kristin leaned back, giving him full access. "So they do."

* * *

><p>"I'll set you up with an email when we're done with the hard drive." Lucas held down the heat-sink of the processor for Hans to unscrew. "That way we'll still be able to talk no matter where you end up. And an instant messenger, probably."<p>

Hans raised his eyebrows. "What are those?"

"Um, email is like snail mail... old fashion mail, but free and it gets to you in seconds. And instant messenger is... well, instant."

"Why does it need to be instantaneous?"

Lucas paused, his mouth hanging open. He had never thought about the why of immediate gratification before. "Uh, it's just nice? Like, you can talk to anyone, anywhere. No waiting."

Hans grinned, "I can really talk to anyone?"

"Yeah," Lucas scowled suddenly. "But, if you get an email from some prince claiming to have money for you, just ignore it."

"What?"

"Uh, never mind, it doesn't happen much anymore." Lucas pulled the lid they were working off. The inside was blackened and melted.

Hans' eyes widened. "Was it in a fire?"

"Kind of." Lucas sighed sadly. "I overheated it and it started to smoke. That's what I get for trying to create my own Halo on an old machine."

"Why do you need a halo?"

Lucas face-palmed. "We're gonna need to start a file on some of these things. I won't remember to show them all to you otherwise."

An hour later, he had been explaining the history of his favorite video game for several minutes when Lucas realized his audience was deeply asleep. "Well_ I _thought it was interesting. I guess that's my hint it's time to head for bed." He whispered, easing the fixed hard drive from Hans' slack hands.

Lucas packed everything back into the bag, realizing just how tired he was. For once, going to sleep didn't seem like a waste of time. Chances were, he would have a long day tomorrow trying to get everything operational. Lucas cast one look to Katie, her face was dark and swollen, but she didn't move. He would be working alone, it seemed.

As he passed Tim's bed, Lucas saw the man glance up at him. "Hey, um, I wanted to ask... Hund... That means..."

"Dog," Tim finished quietly, anger showing on his pale face. "His own father called him a 'gay dog.'"

Lucas' mouth twisted in revulsion. "Geez, and I thought my dad was a jerk."

* * *

><p>Awaking suddenly to a figure leaning over him, very close, Lucas yelped. "Gethfukufm!"<p>

Hans burst into laughter. "I thought it only fair, you woke me much the same way."

"I'll get you back for that, after my heart starts beating again." Lucas grumbled, clutching his chest dramatically. "So they're letting you roam around again? Or did you manage to overpower the whole crew?"

"Ja, the Nazi is free!" Hans grinned roguishly. "Your sleeping clothes are... interesting."

Lucas followed his gaze down, flushing darkly and yanking the blanket up, hiding the cartoon-style computer monitor covered boxers. "They were a gift..." He tried explaining sheepishly.

"Come, your Captain Bridger said we have work to do. We are to fix this ship." Hans tossed him a pair of jeans from the floor, wrinkling his nose. "But, perhaps, we should clean your room first."

"Not a chance, I don't like you that much." Lucas yawned, jumping off his bed. "What is it about Germans and being orderly?"

Hans shrugged, "it makes things simpler."

"You mean boring." Lucas teased back.

"Possibly."

"Oh, before we go, I have something for you." Lucas handed him a piece of paper. "It's your new email address and password. You can get into it with the tablet."

"Deutsche Socrates?" Hans laughed, "did you pick this for me?"

Lucas chewed his lips, suddenly embarrassed. "I thought it fit pretty good."

"It does, thank you." He pocketed the paper, and led the way out of the room. "May I be honest with you, Icarus?"

"Of course, I don't want you to have to hide anything."

He nodded, turning halfway around in the opening to the corridor. He was clearly biting the inside of his cheeks. With a start, Lucas realized he was trying not laugh. "When you woke, you sounded like a goat being strangled."

"As odd as it may seem to you, I have no idea what kind of sound that is." Lucas retorted, giving him a playful shove through the door.

Hans chuckled, "it is... how you say… a figure of speech."

"It is not. I have never heard that." Lucas snorted, "no way that's a thing."

Hans nodded in false seriousness. "It is it very much a _thing_."


	18. Chapter 18

"Needle nose pliers." Lucas' hand reached down through the opening in the ceiling.

Hans stood on his toes to reach the tool high enough. "When will you talk to your doctor about me doing work?"

The shaggy blonde head dropped down to look at him. "I don't think it was a problem with working, she just doesn't want you climbing up here. You'd have to put too much weight on your wrist. Crawl space only."

"Excuses." Hans pouted, "pain doesn't bother me. I wish to learn how fix your ship."

Lucas flipped around, feet first, and jumped down. "I really don't know how I didn't hear the accent before."

"My accent?" Hans asked in surprise.

"Yeah, it's pretty strong and the whole way you speak is different."

"I guess I'm not concentrating on sounding American anymore."

Lucas pointed to a panel a short ways down the hall. "Next one is in there, you'll be able to help." They headed to the new problem area. "So that's like engrained in you? Super spy training or something? You didn't sound like that when you first woke up."

"I woke up thinking I had been captured by whomever was attacking our base." He shrugged, "I had to act quickly."

"Fair enough, I guess." Lucas popped the panel free and pulled out several wires. After showing Hans where to cut them, and how to rejoin them, he allowed the man to do it himself.

Hans took the handful of the frayed wires, and inspected them closely. "May I have these? I would like… to see what they can do."

"Yeah, but, uh, we have a ton more. You don't need to take the old ones."

The simple information lit up Hans' face. "Really? And there are other electronics there?"

Lucas laughed, "yeah, about enough to rebuild half the ship."

He still pocketed the nearly useless wires. "You must show me this when we are done."

"Of course, just don't go too crazy in there, we'll need a lot of it to finish this."

* * *

><p>Hans fidgeted with a small circuit board and several wires as Lucas ran through sensor tests on the bridge with Ben.<p>

Nathan watched over the activity. "I think we're ready, people. Ortiz, get the UEO as soon as we have a connection. We aren't one hundred percent yet, and I want back up." "Yes, sir," Miguel nodded, looking uneasy on Tim's station.

"Let them know I will be calling them back with more information. All they need to know now is that we weren't able to finish the mission due to engine trouble and finding a survivor."

It was Hans' turn to look worried when he heard the words. Nathan smiled sympathetically. "We will do everything we can to help you."

"Thank you, sir." He answered quietly, twisting the items in his hands with nervous energy.

The ship surged forward, earning a cheer from the bridge crew. "Good job people, now let's get out of here." Nathan ordered, settling into his chair.

"How long until we are on land?" Hans asked as he and Lucas made their way off the bridge.

"I'd say about forty hours if the engines hold." Lucas noticed the near panicked expression on his friend's face. "Why?"

"You all seem so sure your government will not prosecute me... How do you know?"

"It's different now. I think once they hear your story, they'll understand. Hell, you could probably write a book and get rich off it." Lucas shrugged, "don't worry so much."

"I just want to build things." Hans muttered, "that's all I ever wanted."

"So do it. And speaking of, what are you making now?"

Hans stared at the wires in his hands. The device was starting to grow roughly football shaped. It didn't look like much, but considering Hans was using all salvaged parts from the ship, Lucas was still impressed. "I'm not sure yet, Icarus, but you'll be first to know when I figure it out."

He chuckled, "it looks heavy."

"It will be when I'm finished."

"I thought you didn't know what it was."

Hans grinned mischievously. "Oh, I have a few ideas. You will see when I'm done."

"If you weren't using metal it would a lot lighter." Lucas offered. "We have some plastic sheeting that might work."

Hans shook his head. "I like the metal, it's more effective."

"Whatever floats your boat, man." Lucas snorted as stopped walking.

"We'll have some down time now, there's someone you haven't met yet. I can't believe he hasn't had a fit that I haven't visited in a few days."

"Who? Doesn't everyone one understand what is happening on your ship?" Hans looked at him quizzically, sensing he was missing a joke.

"He's a little spoiled. You know that big tube that runs through my room?"

"Yes? The water?"

Lucas leaned against a door. "Someone lives there."

* * *

><p>He drummed his fingers nervously, checking behind him. The UEO symbol on the vidscreen seemed to rotate in slow motion as he waited. He knew he only had a few minutes before he would be missed. Finally it connected, and annoyed face showed up. "Let me guess, you want to beg for more time."<p>

"You know there have been issues already. You'll get your payment, just trust me."

"Trust?" He growled, and leaned closer to the screen. "There's always some kind of _issue_ with your payments."

"Have I ever not gotten it to you?!"

"No, but you have needed persuasion a few times."

"So that stunt really was you? I never thought you were actually that crazy. You could have killed everyone on this ship!"

"It got your attention." He waved uninterestedly, "if I have to wait much longer, there will be another warning."

The screen blacked out, taunting the man with the bland UEO label.

* * *

><p>"I don't know if I can do this." Hans admitted, his feet hanging over the edge of the moon pool.<p>

It had taken Lucas quite some time to convince him to even put in the wetsuit. Now, Hans was watching Darwin with deep trepidation. "I told you, he's friendly. And now that we're heading into warmer water, he'll be out hunting. He's been cooped here all week. This is your chance."

"He doesn't bite?"

"No... Well, not hard." Lucas smirked, "and it's only when he's mad at you."

"Swim! Swim! Swim!" Demanded the vocorder.

"He sounds mad." Hans continued to argue. "I would much rather pull apart this device that allows him to talk. How did you make it?"

Lucas shrugged, blushing. "I just did, it's kinda what I do here."

Finally, taking a deep breath, Hans jumped into the water. Darwin immediately swam towards him, and bumped his shoulder playfully. Hans carefully reached out and stroked the smooth skin. A grin broke out on his face. "Alright, I guess this is safe."

* * *

><p>Ben interrupted them an hour later. "Hey kid, Captain Bridger said the PAL's are down again."<p>

Lucas groaned and pulled himself out of the pool. "I'll meet you in the medbay, Hans?"

"Of course, Icarus." He nodded, watching him leave.

"So," Ben leaned on the edge of the tank, looking at Hans as he tread water. "What are you plans for our computer genius?"

"Plans?!" Hans' grey eyes widened in confusion and shock, darting from side to side, as if he were searching for an escape.

Ben smiled lopsidedly. "I just want to know if you're going to try and whisk him off to some German fairytale castle."

"I... I..." Hans stammered, unsure how to respond. He was red faced and breathing heavily.

"Whoa, hey..." Ben blinked and stepped back, surprised by the young man's reaction. "I was just kidding. I don't think Lucas swings that way. I'm sorry."

Hans shook his head, but dropped his eyes. "No, I am still not accustom to people having that knowledge." He shrugged, "the fault is mine."

"Yeah, I know it's touchy. I really am sorry." Ben stared at him uncomfortably, but got no response. "I'll... uh, go."

"I am finished swimming." Hans stated firmly. "Feel free to stay with the dolphin." He climbed out and quickly vacated the area.

Ben sighed as he watched the young man go. "I'm going to pay for that, I just know it."


	19. Chapter 19

"Thank you for information, Chief, but why are you telling me?" Kristin tilted her head.

Crocker smiled with grizzled charm. "I don't want the any of the science crew shootin' themselves in the foot."

She snorted, "even if all of the weapons lockers are open and spilling out their contents into the floor, I doubt that will happen. I will advise my staff to stay away from the broken doors."

"It's only a couple." Crocker corrected, "we're still workin' on the rest."

"Seriously, how many guns do you men need?" Kristin scoffed, eyeing the two on his belt.

"All of 'em."

* * *

><p>Darwin popped his head up into the bridge, squealing loudly. Nathan looked at him, alarmed, then grabbed the vocorder. "What is it buddy?"<p>

"Dark haired friend floating!"

"Dark haired? Who? Where?"

"Pool!" He vanished with a splash.

Nathan glanced at the sparsely crewed bridge, a still sallow Jonathan barely had time to give him a nod before the captain took off at a sprint. He nearly crashed into Lucas as he burst through the clamshell doors.

"Captain, what's..."

"Come with me," Nathan called over his shoulder, not slowing. "I'll need your help."

They raced to the moonpool, the flash of Darwin's tail led them, several meters ahead. "I thought he was out hunting." Lucas gasped as they ran. "What happened?"

"I don't know, but I don't think it's good." They slid to a stop outside the door, and spilled inside.

Ben could be seen through the window of the tank, blood blossoming around him, polluting the water. Darwin was trying to push his face up, but the still body just floated away from the desperate dolphin.

"Get him out!" Nathan barked, needlessly. Lucas was already ahead of him, running to the tank.

They easily pulled Ben out and Nathan began chest compressions to pump the water out of his lungs. After what seemed like an eternity, Ben started to cough, and suck in air. "There you go, just breath." Nathan encouraged him, sitting him up and gently patting his back.

"What happened?" Ben finally rasped.

"That's what I was going to ask." Nathan responded grimly. Now that the crisis was over, he could see thick red marks crisscrossing Ben's throat. "It looks like someone tried to throttle you."

"That could be a lot of people." Lucas snorted, releasing the tension still in the room.

Ben took a deep ragged breath to retort but, began to cough again. Nathan clapped him on the back. "Let's get you to Kristin, we'll figure out who attacked you later."

"Hang on." Lucas grabbed the vocoder and switched it on. "Darwin, did you see what happened?"

There was hesitation before the dolphin answered, as if he was trying find the correct words. "Small man in tubes."

"Small? Like how small?"

"Small man!"

"Ok, ok, I get it." Lucas huffed. "That's not much to go on."

Nathan took the vocorder, but avoided looking at him. "Do you know him? The small man?"

"Lucas friend! New!"

"Hans," Nathan whispered harshly.

Ben shook his head and carefully got to his feet. "No, he left... Um, after I said some stupid."

"And Hans wouldn't do this! He has no reason to!" Lucas argued heatedly.

"What did you say?" Nathan asked, still not looking at the angry teen. He knew the look of rage that would be growing in his blue eyes, and didn't have the time to deal with it yet.

Ben dipped his head sheepishly. "I was teasing him about having a crush on Lucas. I didn't mean anything by it, they just seem attached at the hip."

A thick trickle of blood made its way down the man's face. Ben absentmindedly dabbed at it with hand. Now that the water wasn't washing it clean, Nathan and Lucas could see the gash on his forehead was quite large and bleeding heavily.

"And then?" Nathan pushed, in light of the injury and seriousness of the situation, he decided to let the man's gaff slide.

"And then he got mad and left." Ben crinkled his brow, flinching from the unexpected pain he inflicted on himself. "I stayed and... Oh!" His eyes opened wide, "something grabbed me from behind."

"Which way were you facing?" Nathan asked, mapping out the attack in his mind.

Ben pointed, "I watched him leave, but didn't move. So, probably, towards the door."

"So it couldn't have been Hans. You would have seen him come back in." Lucas said triumphantly. There's no other way to access the tubes."

"Who else would it have done it?" Nathan argued.

Lucas turned back to Darwin, speaking into the vocoder. "The small man, did he have blonde hair like me?" He ran a hand through his bangs to emphasize what he was asking.

Darwin shook his beak. "Dark hair. Much dark hair."

"Thank you, fish face." Lucas set the vocoder down smugly.

Ben started to sway on his feet. "We better get you to medbay." Nathan muttered, still looking doubtful.

There was something strange happening on his ship and he didn't like it. All of the many coincidences were starting to irritate him.

* * *

><p>Kristin didn't even bother to ask what happened when Ben was brought to her. She finished checking Tim's stitches, and pointed to a bed. A heavily sigh was released, the only sign of her annoyance.<p>

"Severely bruised trachea, minor trauma to the skull, and a fixable laceration." Kristin stated after a brief exam. She wrinkled her nose at the damp clothing. "I believe it's common practice to don a wetsuit before swimming, Mr. Krieg."

"I thought this might be more interesting." He quipped back easily.

Nathan cleared his throat, "a word, Kristin?"

She nodded, handing Ben gauze for his head. "I'll be right back, try not to injure yourself while I'm gone."

They backed away from the group of patients. "Everyone needs more time, Nathan. I'm afraid you can't have your crew back just yet."

He shook his head. "Not what I was asking, but thank you for the update." He smiled at her suspicious expression. "How long has Hans been here?"

Kristin pursed her lips, glazing at the young man in question, who was currently watching them from his bed at the end of the room. The tablet computer he was reading hung slackly in his hand as he kept an eye on the activities around him. "About five minutes ago, I believe."

"He needed some time to change out of the suit." Lucas hissed, coming up behind them. "I told you, it can't be him. Darwin even agrees."

Nathan sighed, and pierced the genius with a stare. "And before he agreed, Darwin hesitated. He wasn't sure what to say."

Lucas blinked at him, his face slowly turning red. "What, now you think he had time to change out of the wetsuit, brainwash Darwin, and attack Ben, and still get back here without being missed?"

"No," Nathan started slowly, "but you must admit, it's a little strange."

Lucas scoffed, "what's strange is you suddenly turning into a bigot just because of his past!" He turned on his heel, and stormed from the medbay.

"That went well." Nathan shook his head bitterly.

Kristin placed her hands on her hips. "Well what did you expect? Accusing the poor boy of wrong doing is just foolishness." He didn't get a chance to reply as Kristin turn away to address Ben's injury.

"Damnit." Nathan muttered under his breath. The next thing he saw made him want to curse again, Hans was making his way towards him. The odd looking oblong object in his hands.

"Um, sir? Did... Did I do something wrong? Is Icarus angry with me?"

He ran a hand through his blonde hair, looking worried. Nathan was again amazed how similar he looked to Lucas. A pang of remorse shot through him. "No, that was my fault. Listen Kidd... um, Hans, I need to ask you something, can you be honest with me?"

"Yes, of course sir. I don't want to lie to anyone on your ship."

The guilt dug deeper after Nathan heard this. "After you spoke to Ben, did you see anyone else on the seadeck?"

"No sir," Hans shook his head, but inclined it. A blush stole up his cheeks and Nathan knew he was thinking of what Ben had said.

"Where did you go after you left?"

Hans glanced up. "I changed my clothing, then went to the supply closet to get some things I needed." His eyes flickered with doubt. "Icarus said it was ok..."

Nathan nodded, "that's fine, take what you need. After that?"

"I came here. To work on my gift."

"You're making a present? For who?"

Hans smiled shyly. "It's for all of you, but Icarus will be using it the most, I believe."

Shame slammed into Nathan forcefully. "I see," he responded softly.

"I was going to ask you for help if you have the time, and don't mind." Hans continued, seeming unaware of the captain's regret.

He nodded, "I can try."

A true smile lit Hans' face. "I need to wrap it, but cannot find anything."

"Ah, you should ask Kristin about that. She's likely to have something."

The young man glanced at the doctor, who was still shooting angry glances at them. "Are you sure that is safe, sir? She seems... Displeased."

Nathan laughed, "if you stay with us, you'll have to learn that Kristin is usually just annoyed at me, no one else. You'll be plenty safe, just ask."

After a few moments, Hans joined in with a chuckle. "You are right, perhaps I need a woman's touch to make this perfect."


	20. Chapter 20

Hans approached Kristin very carefully. "Um, Doctor? When... When you have time, may I ask a favor?"

She glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see Nathan exit the area. "Of course dear, you can even help me if you like."

Working together, they quickly stitched up Ben and wrapped the wound. "Stay." Kristin ordered him firmly. He only nodded, settling into the bed.

"Now, what can I do for you?"

Hans picked up the device he had be working on for the past day and a half. "It's a gift... For Icarus... And all of you really. I have nothing to wrap it with."

Kristin smiled warmly, melting his reluctance. "Oh sweetheart, I have just the thing in my cabin."

They were making their way out of medbay when Crocker walked in, with Shan at his heels. "Don't tell me one of your men shot himself in the foot." Kristin said drily.

He snorted, "not all. In fact I came to inform you all of weapons have been secured so you don't need to worry none."

"I was hardly worried." Kristin retorted, guiding Hans out the door.

"You do not care for him?" Hans observed.

She sighed, "I do, we argue but it tends to be friendly."

"And your captain?" He grinned as a blush grew on her face. "You are a couple?"

Kristin looked at him sidelong. "You could say that, but it gets complicated on the ship."

"Why complicated?"

She considered explaining Nathan's attachment to his late wife, but decided against it. "There are a lot of factors at work. Privacy for one. On any ship, even one as big as this, there no secrets."

"But the crew cares for you, surely they want you to be happy." Hans pointed out. "Like Icarus, I see the way they watch him, they want him to be safe and contented."

Kristin chuckled, "yes, much to his annoyance, everyone is very protective of Lucas."

"He should be proud." Hans muttered, "to have so many people care. I confess, I am quite jealous of that."

Kristin draped an arm over the young man's shoulders. "If you are able to stay, you will see the same. So much so, you may grow irritated as well."

* * *

><p>"Mr. Krieg, Captain Bridger asked us to investigate your attack." Crocker stood at his bedside.<p>

He nodded, and coughed, then winced as both actions caused him pain. "I'm not really sure what happened. All I remember is something grabbing me. I guess I hit my head too." Ben gestured to the wound on his forehead.

"At least you ain't alone in that." Crocker glanced at the surrounding beds.

Tim grinned, his eyes still unfocused. "Yup, just call us the bruised and bloody brigade."

"Has the Lt. Commander woken up at all?" Shan asked, glancing at her bed.

"A little, she was in a lot of pain so the doc put her under again." Ben looked at her morosely.

Crocker turned back to him, and tilted his head as something reflected the light on his still damp uniform. He leaned down quickly and plucked it. "Well, now this looks familiar. And it definitely could explain a bit, didn't know he was violent though."

Ben saw the hair in the chief's fingers, and grimaced. "He must have learned a new trick. You better go get Captain Bridger, I think I have some stuff to explain."

Before Shan could leave the room, Crocker stopped him, sighing heavily. "Until the PAL's are back, ya'll need to tell everyone you run into."

"What should I tell them, sir?" Shan pressed his lips together, hiding a smile.

Crocker narrowed his eyes, knowing just what the young security officer was doing. "I donno, just… just…" He rubbed his face in aggravation. "Tell everyone to be on the lookout for that damned monkey."

* * *

><p>Hans found Lucas sitting next to the moonpool a short time later. "Ah, the true habitat of a genius. A computer, mild chaos, and tools. What more could a boy ask for?"<p>

Pieces of the vocoder laid around him. A screwdriver was spinning around in his fingers as his laptop ran data next to him. Lucas smirked, "hey, I was wondering where you wandered off to. I hope you didn't get yourself in any trouble."

Hans laughed easily. "Nothing that they will find for quite some time."

"That's the best kind." Lucas turned back to his computer when it beeped completion.

"What are you working on, Icarus?"

"I think whatever fried the ship, messed up the voice translator too. Darwin was having a hard time answering a question before. And he couldn't say Ben's name." Lucas scowled at the memory.

"Just how did the dolphin answer your captain's question?" Hans crossed a room and sat next to him, fidgeting with the freshly wrapped gift.

"Oh, you heard that, huh?" Hans nodded, enlisting an angry sigh from Lucas. "He said a new and small man attacked Ben. Captain Bridger thought it..."

"Was me." Hans finished for him quietly. "If it matters, I did not hurt your friend."

"I know," Lucas muttered in frustration. "You wouldn't have done something like that."

"I appreciate you defending me."

He only nodded, taking a deep breath. "Have you asked the dolphin again?"

"No, he's out hunting right now." Lucas waved at the pool. "Sometimes he's gone for days. We leave the tubes open for him to come and go when we can. I can run the vocorder program through my laptop and substitute what we have on file for his squeaks."

"How long will it take?"

Lucas groaned as he saw the report. "Since it's telling me we've lost half of his vocab, a couple days."

"Perhaps you need a break." Hans gestured with his gift.

His eyebrow rose as he noticed the package. "What do you have?"

"Oh..." Hans began to chew his lip. "A gift... For you and the crew." He handed it to Lucas, who tossed the tool he was playing with on the already littered floor.

"This is what you've been making. It's... For us?" His eyes were a mixture of surprise, eagerness, and joy. "You didn't have to."

"Yes, I did. Please, open it. It is primarily for your use but it affects everyone." Hans watched him turn the package over, and grinned as Lucas tore into it.

Inside, was the football shaped and sized device. He estimated the weight to be close to twenty pounds. Easy enough to pick up, but tiring after a few minutes. After he knew how it worked, Lucas figured they could tweak the design to make it easier to use. The metal was now polished sleek and smooth with small lights decorating the seams. They lit as soon as Lucas touched one.

"Here, like this, but don't let go." Hans moved his fingers and thumb to cover five of them. As soon as Lucas pushed down, added by the German, they disappeared into the metal with only the tips touching his fingers. The rest of the lights blinked once, then stayed lit. They reflected off the multifaceted metal surface dizzyingly.

"That's pretty cool, how did you get them all connected with power in something so small?" Lucas brought the device to his face, inspecting it closely.

"That is why it's is so heavy, it is full of surprises."

"What does it do exactly? I mean the light show is cool and all, but is there more?" Lucas asked, turning it the best he could without dropping it.

"Only one thing more. It's a bomb." Hans watched him closely with an impassive expression.

Lucas laughed shortly. "Yeah, right. What is it really?"

Hans carefully moved Lucas' hand away from his face before responding. "It _really_ and _exactly_ is a highly reactive touch sensitive bomb. If you put it down, or press another light, it'll will kill everyone on your ship."


	21. Chapter 21

"Is there something you'd like to share?" Nathan studied Ben evenly.

"Sir…" Ben hung his head in shame. "I never thought he'd go this far. I think he snapped. I had it under control, then suddenly I didn't." He stretched out his fingers plaintively. "I'm sorry."

Nathan sighed, "just tell me what happened."

"You needed the supplies so quickly, Leslie is the only one I know that could deliver. But, he wanted double payment for the rush. And right away. I told him I would pay as soon as we were done. He wanted to keep tabs on me, and I was ok with that. After we lost communications… He thought we did it on purpose to skip out on the bill." Ben dissolved into a fit of coughing at the end, holding his throat in pain.

"That's enough, stop talking if it hurts." Nathan advised gently. "We'll deal with him."

Ben shook his head, catching his breath. "No, it's my fault, I'll talk to him. He'll listen to reason."

"When has the Regulator ever listened to any reason?" Crocker growled. "The man's never played with a full deck. By now, he's just got a joker and the two of spades."

Nathan nodded, his angry expression turning to one of concern when Ben started coughing again. "Maybe Kristin should check your throat again. That sounds pretty bad."

"I'll ask her when she gets back." Ben rasped with some difficultly.

"Back? How long has she been gone?" Crocker looked around the medbay, realizing the doctor wasn't buzzing around her patients as usual.

"About a half hour." Ben answered after some thought. "She's with Hans though, remember? They should be able to deal with Vern if they come across him."

Nathan scowled, "now that he's learned to strangle people, I don't want him around anyone. Shan, find them please, they need to be warned."

"I've never seen Vern do anything like this." Ben sighed after Shan left the room.

"Leslie may have taught him, or he's doing it on his own." Nathan said darkly. "He still is a wild animal, no matter what's been done to him."

* * *

><p>"What?" Lucas' blue eyes went wide, searching Hans' grey ones for a hint of teasing. "That's a bad joke... Right?"<p>

Hans scoffed, "come, I have much to do before your captain's reinforcements arrive."

"No, wait. Tell me what's going on. I don't understand." Lucas hedged desperately.

"I thought were supposed to bright." Hans snarled, coming menacingly close. "It's simple, Icarus. You are holding a bomb. If you set it down or change your grip, it will explode."

Lucas flinched, a stepped back, trying to distance himself from the man's frightening expression. "So for last two days, all that time we were working together, talking together, kidding around... You were building this bomb right next to me?!" He started to breathe hard, more from anger than anxiety. "You were planning to betray me? Betray all of us?"

"No, forgive me, you misunderstand. I finished that particular device the first day, the other two took longer."

The air seemed to rush out of Lucas' lungs. "Other two? There are more?"

"Yes, of course." Hans clarified with exasperation. "This one is remotely linked to the others. One bomb could hardly take out the entire ship."

Lucas felt numb, he couldn't believe his friend would doing something like this. "Why?"

"We should have won the war." Hans shrugged, as if it was a simple answer.

"That was eighty years ago, people don't think like that anymore." Lucas edged around closer to the tank. The hand holding the bomb was starting to shake from the weight, and pure stress.

"Oh, but they do. I was able to find many likeminded groups on your tablet computer. After I had my email address, it was simply a matter of finding the one that could pay and truly believed." He snorted dismissively. "Most only claimed to see the vision of a strong Germany. They didn't want to get their fingers dirty."

"Neo-Nazis." Lucas said with disgust. "You know they hate gay people almost as much as the original Nazis, right?"

"Do you agree with _every_ policy your government has?"

"Well, no, of course not."

"Neither did I. I knew what I was, but I also believed in the cause. If I could, and still can further it, I will."

"They wanted to kill people like you!"

Hans watched him with calculating eyes. "My death means little, but my life I have dedicated to the glory of Germany."

"But... You said you hated fighting."

"I did at first." Hans admitted. "You got use to this ship and you believe in what they do. I did too."

"I won't let you do this." Lucas forced out harshly. "I don't believe you about this thing being connected to others, and I'll kill both of us before I let you hurt my crew." He was pleased to see the hand holding the bomb and his voice had ceased shaking.

Hans looked at him sharply, trying to read his face. Lucas kept very still and stared back. After a few moments, Hans laughed softly, shaking his head. "Actually, you won't."

Guilt and shame twisted deep in Lucas' gut. He knew what the German had seen. The one thing he had never learned to hide. Although Ben often teased that his bright blue eyes could make girls swoon, they also showed every emotion. He knew they were now laced with fear and doubt.

"You _will_ do everything I say, you will come with me to the bridge, and you will help me take over this ship."

"Please don't do this... I... I trusted you. I defended you. Even though you were..."

"Yes, yes, remember that part. I am a _spy_, this is what I do."

In his agitation, Lucas took another step closer to the pool. Hans smiled coldly. "Go ahead, throw it."

"What?" Lucas froze in his spot.

"Come now," Hans said softly, "do not play games. You are thinking of dumping it in the water. Maybe you'll have enough time that it won't kill you. Maybe you won't. Are you ready for that gamble?"

"I... I wasn't..." Lucas stammered, knowing he had been caught.

"I already know you do not have experience with explosives, Icarus, but tell me, do you know what happens when something detonates underwater?"

"A shock wave. It'll blow some of the tubes, but it won't damage most of the ship." He swallowed, the small piece of confidence Lucas was able to gather quickly shattered when he saw Hans' smug expression.

The German nodded, and stepped back, folding his arms over his chest. "If I may give you some advice, I'd like to show you something before you decide. It will be your choice, I will not stop you. Honestly, I am rather curious, I don't know how the salt water will affect the remote trigger. It very well may block the signal all together."

Hans turned his back, and walked to the laptop. After starting a program, he flipped it around so Lucas could see. "This face to face chatting is truly remarkable. No waiting to show people what you plan to do."

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked hoarsely, as the program connected.

"Am I correct in my calculations that your room is closest to us, and will the most damaged by the shock wave? Even if it is only, say, knocking your furniture over?"

Lucas could only stare in horror. There, standing on the balls of her feet on the seat of his rolling chair stood Kristin. Tape covered her mouth and her hands were bound behind her back. Twisted and braided wires were tied nose style around her neck, stretching up to an overhead pipe.

"It would be a shame if she slipped, no?"

* * *

><p><strong>*Author hides from Tracy in a snowbank...* <strong>


	22. Chapter 22

His shoulders slumped in defeat. The only chance at stopping this madman had just been brutally torn from his fingers. If his actions meant the certain death of Dr. Westphalen, he could never do it. He watched her carefully before responding.

Kristin was facing the camera straight on, when she looked into it, her eyes widened in fear and anger. Lucas knew what she was seeing, his own frighten and pale face must have been staring back on the tablet screen. She began struggling with whatever was binding her hands. Her face turned red and she looked over shoulder to check her progress. Lucas grimaced as he noticed another thin wire going down the back her neck, attached to the noose. If she fought the ties too much, it would cut into her throat from behind.

"What do you want from me?" He managed to whisper.

Hans' eyes lit with triumph. "Your security chief said the weapons had been moved. I require them, if your captain does not believe me, he may try to take the explosive away from you. As much as I do not fear death, it would put a damper on my plans."

"I have no idea where they are." Lucas snapped, "I don't deal with the guns."

"Maybe you should." Hans replied cruelly, "it will stop people from making you into a victim."

"Or just don't make friends with monsters!" He shouted back furiously.

Hans snorted, "I am a monster now? I have been called worse." He waved dismissively. "Tell me where they would take the weapons. I already know the lockers were broken into and emptied."

Lucas tried to stall. Making Hans angry might not be good for his own health, but now that tossing the bomb into the pool was out, he needed ideas. "Look, if you're doing this because you finally think your dad will be proud of you or something..."

Hans cut him off, seizing him by the throat and lifting him to his toes. "Halt den Schnabe! Do _not_ talk about things you fail to understand." Lucas nodded, gasping for air. His fingers pulled at the hand but couldn't find purchase. "All I want to hear is you telling me where they are."

"The room that houses the missiles. Only Captain Bridger and Commander Ford can get in, though." Lucas wheezed out.

"You cannot break in?" Hans raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"No," Lucas quickly replied, starting to rasp from the effort. "You need a long code for the door, you only get three tries and it goes into lockdown. After that, it takes EUO brass to open it."

Hans regarded him critically, loosening his hand so Lucas able to breathe again and lower his heels to the floor. "And you believe they would be there."

"It's the safest..."

The door to sea deck swung open, and a voice cut him off. "There you guys are. Captain Bridger doesn't want you alone. We know who's attacking us."

Lucas broke free and spun, taking a quick stride to the possibility of safety. "Shan! You gotta..."

A rough hand on his shoulder pulled him back, and Hans wrapped his arm around Lucas' collar bone. "Perhaps he is able to enter the missile room?" He murmured into his ear.

Shan paused, unsure of the scene in front of him. Lucas had terror etched on his face, and red marks on this throat, while Hans only smiled patiently. His eyes found the silver device Lucas held rigidly away from his body. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Come in, talk to us, I have a problem Icarus is not able to solve." Hans carried a commanding tone, raising the hairs on the back of Shan's neck. By reflex, he reached for his sidearm. "Explain to him why that's a bad idea." Hans ordered Lucas, clutching him closer and nearly cutting off his air again.

He swallowed, trying to inch his throat away from Hans' tight grip, and lifted his arm slightly. "It... It's a bomb."

Shan dropped his hand, letting it hang limply. "Are you ok, Lucas?"

"Yeah," he nodded tensely, "he didn't really hurt me or anything. But the doc..." He glanced over his shoulder at the computer screen showing Kristin in her precarious state.

Shan followed his gaze, sharply drawing in a breath. "What do you want?" He demanded angrily.

"For now, hand me your gun." Hans held Lucas tight, while Shan made his way to them.

The door to the room swung shut loudly, making Lucas flinch. He tried not to think of it as the sound of a death toll. "I also require information. First, whom is attacking your ship?"

"An old friend." Shan said scornfully, handing over his sidearm. "Once Captain Bridger has a chance to talk to him, he'll stop."

"How do you know this?" Hans asked, while checking the weapon's ammunition. He was no longer forcefully restraining Lucas, but kept a foot locked around his ankle. Lucas had seen the move before, a basic martial arts take down. If Hans wanted to, a small movement would send him sprawling. He kept perfectly still, listening, and thinking.

Shan gave Lucas a long look, taking the time to allow his eyes to flicker down to the trapped leg. For now, he merely could hold his ground. "We've dealt with Leslie before. He just needs some attention, and probably money, and he'll go."

"It seems your crew will fold to anyone." Hans snorted, "this should be easy."

"Whatever you think you're doing, it won't work."

Hans laughed, and shoved Lucas away. For a frightening moment, the teen stumbled and nearly dropped the explosive. He landed on his knees, breathing heavily and twitching.

When Shan saw him carefully grapple with it in panic, he reached out. "Let me carry it. He doesn't have to be part of this. If you leave him alone I'll take you where you want to go."

"That simply will not work." Hans said an uninterested voice, simply watching the teen's reaction with mild amusement on his face.

"If I take my hand off, it'll explode" Lucas whispered, sitting back on the heels of his feet, but not ready to stand. His face was beyond white, and he was shaking. "I have to hold it."

Shan clenched his fists in rage. "Why would you do that to him? He's just a kid."

"We are the same age." Hans reminded him. "I am just more driven."

"You're more of a psychopath." Lucas muttered, catching his breath and taking a moment to rest the weight in his hand.

Hans looked at him sharply, and pulled him to his feet by the back of his shirt. "I will be glad to not have to listen to your voice soon." He snarled, and pushed the gun under his chin.

"If you kill him, you die too." Shan said quietly, staring at the bomb.

It took several breaths for the German to calm himself, but finally, he let Lucas go. He slid away from his grasp while he still had the chance. "Tell me where the rest of the weapons are hidden."

"Why do you even need more? What you have now is pretty convincing."

"Because I do, where are they?" Hans growled.

Shan crossed his arms stubbornly. "If you think I'll help you take over this ship..."

Sighing in aggravation, Hans stepped to Lucas and roughly pulled him back again. He grabbed his free hand, pressing the gun to his extended index finger. "We could waste time trading threats and promises, but I'd rather show you. I would be interested to find how many body parts Icarus can lose and still hold onto the explosive. Would you like that information as well?"


	23. Chapter 23

Lucas squeezed his eyes and lips tightly closed, waiting. Shan was sworn to protect the ship and its people. If he had to sacrifice a few fingers, it was a small price compared to the destruction Hans could produce with the SeaQuest. He willed himself to hold on, no matter what happened.

"The security office." Shan blurted out suddenly. "Everything is locked up there."

"You can open it?" Hans asked conversationally.

"Yes, of course... Just let him go." Shan breathed a sigh of relief after Hans opened his fingers, releasing his hostage.

He was so prepared for the coming pain, Lucas kept his hand raised in shock. Slowly, he lowered it as his heart resumed its normal pace. He stared at Shan searchingly. Was the man telling the truth? Or did he have a reason for wanting Hans in the security office? It was quite a distance from the sea deck, and they were sure to encounter crew mates. It could either prove to be their salvation or the death of everyone if they were interrupted by the wrong person.

Hans seemed to have the same idea, looking around the room. His eyes finally coming to rest on the denim jacket Lucas had the tendency to leave there. Quickly retrieving it, he folded it and draped it over the bomb. "Do I need to explain the need say nothing?"

Shan and Lucas shook their heads silently. Hans slipped the gun into the pocket of his borrowed uniform. It created a small bulge, but nothing noticeable. Next, he picked up and closed the laptop, handing it to Shan. "I do not want the fair Doctor to be lonely as we complete our mission. Come, it is time."

Shan led the way, with directly Lucas behind him. He hugged the covered bomb close to his chest with fingers that had long gone numb.

Several people greeted them on the corridor, but were too hurried to stop them. Word had spread quickly about the involvement of the Regulator and Vern. Everyone was on the lookout for the miscreants. There was no sign of the senior crew, and Lucas felt a pang of remorse when he realized how much he wanted to see them. To see _anyone_ who might be able to put a stop to this.

All too soon, they were at the door to the security office. Shan typed the code into the locked door, and swung it open. Hans blocked Lucas from entering, and pointed inside. "Check for others first."

Obeying, Shan ducked into the room. "It's clear, no one's here."

They entered, and Hans shoved Lucas towards a chair. "Sit, do not try anything."

"Dude! Would you _please_ stop that?!" Lucas snapped. "I'm trying not to kill everyone. Pushing me around like that makes it pretty damn hard to hang on to this thing."

Hans regarded him coolly. "Keep in mind I already know how you think, Icarus. In the same situation, I would be spending all my time deciding how to undermine my captor's control. I am merely reminding you of the situation."

Lucas lowered himself into the seat, glowering. He knew Hans was right, he had been trying to figure out how they could escape. Needing to concentrate on not dropping the bomb indeed kept him from planning anything significant.

Shan set the laptop down and pulled open a cabinet. "So what do you want?"

Hans' face lit up, and grin twisted across his lips. Grabbing a tactical belt, he quickly strapped it to his hips and began loading it handguns, ammo clips, and handcuffs. After he slung an assault rifle over his shoulder, he picked up two large survival knifes and checked the edges.

"Seriously?" Shan said snidely. "You're not Rambo."

Hans smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes. He flipped one of the knives in his hand, and pressed the point deeply into Shan's chest. When the man didn't respond, Hans twisted it. "I find a blade can convince people where a bullet cannot. Something invading your flesh slowly can be much more painful, not to mention more entertaining for me."

The cords on Shan's neck stood out, but he didn't back away. Instead, he stared the man down. Hans smirked, with a raised eyebrow. "Ah, a true solider I see." After giving another brutal push, he finally pulled back. "But, perhaps you are one who cannot stand to see others suffer."

He turned to Lucas, moving the knife back and forth like a snake's head. "Stop this." He hissed, standing and snarling at the man. "You are just showing off and being a bully. Maybe you're a lot more like your father than you thought."

Hans narrowed his eyes furiously, and raised his hand to strike him. Lucas flinched, instinctually blocking his face with his arm. The bomb stood between them momentarily. His lips thinned to white, and Hans brought his fist back down. "Do not speak again unless I order you, Icarus. I am sick of your attempts at meddling."

Although his voice was laced with menace, Lucas saw how closely he watched the bomb until it was safely lowered again. No matter what Hans had said about not fearing death, now Lucas had his doubts. Perhaps this, and his newly exposed temper could be put to use.

"I trust you can fight, solider?" Hans asked, eyeing Shan critically. He nodded, slowly, not liking the reasons Hans might have for asking. "Very good, after we leave this room, I believe your crew may try to stop us. There will be no hiding these weapons. I don't have time for you to talk to them, be prepared to force them to leave us alone."

"How? I can't fight off the entire crew." Hans handed him the rifle. "I won't kill them." He spat, trying to push it away.

"It is not loaded yet, but they must not know that. If they stop us, everyone will die. Remember that."

Setting his shoulders, Shan accepted the weapon. He racked the slide once to check if the chamber was in fact empty. He didn't trust the word of the man who was perfectly ok with torturing and killing them. After he was satisfied no one would be accidentally shot, Shan nodded.

Hans lifted Lucas by his free arm, directing him towards the door. "Take the laptop and lead. No speaking to anyone, that includes me." Biting back the snarl that was gathering in his throat, Lucas opened the door. It revealed a very surprised looking Chief Crocker.

"Boys?" Crocker gaped at blood slowly spreading over Shan's chest and guns in their hands.

Lucas froze in shock, completely unsure what to do. "Chief, you can't ..."

"I thought I told you to stop talking!" Hans snapped, pushing Lucas away from the door. He motioned with his sidearm. "Inside, now."

The older man obeyed, raising his hands. The door swung shut behind him, blocking out the noise from the corridor. "What is this?"

"I guess you could call it a _mutiny_." Hans said with a bored shrug.

Crocker's eyes narrowed, "not gonna happen sonny."

Hans lashed out with a punch, catching him in the solar plexus. There was the horrible sound of bone crunching, and Crocker dropped to his knees. "Perhaps you should have had your doctor check those ribs before she was indisposed."

Frothy blood bubbled out of Crocker's mouth as he doubled over in pain. He gasped for air several times. Lucas started for him, but a threating look from Hans kept him in place. "It is only one lung, surely he is not old enough to die from such a minor injury."

"Speak for yourself." Shan snapped, crouching beside his superior officer. Taking the opportunity to lean in close, he breathed into Crocker's ear. "Lucas' room. Get there."

Shan straightened, "he needs the medbay. I won't leave him like this."

"You have more handcuffs here?" Hans glanced around the room.

"Yes, of course, but…"

"Secure him, we must go."

Grinding his teeth together, Shan took a pair of cuffs from a drawer and carefully locked them around Crocker's wrists. Hans' eyes glittered, "I do not believe that is the proper way. Put them behind him."

"No, I'm not going to force that rib deeper into his lung. He's bad enough." Shan crossed his arms over his chest, fixing Hans with a glare.

Hans stared back, then shrugged. "You have more, attach him to the cabinet."

Again, Shan complied, but using the open door as a shield, he palmed a key into Crocker's hand. Even in his pained state, the older man took it, and hid it from sight.

Lucas watched the security chief helplessly. Like Hans, he never saw key exchange and believed they were sentencing him to a slow death. "Please, don't. Take him with us or..."

Hans rounded on him, sneering. "I have spared you from pain thus far Icarus, because we are friends, and I do not believe you are courageous enough to tolerate it. Do not make me regret my compassion."

Sucking in a breath and jerking away from him, Lucas nodded, fixing his eyes on the floor. He had already seen what the man was capable of, and didn't doubt his word. He was able to cast one last look at Crocker as he wheezed on the floor before Hans lead both of his hostages out the door, and into the general chaos of the ship.


	24. Chapter 24

"Let's get this over with." Nathan grumbled, nodding towards Miguel. The Cuban turned to Tim's console, and pushed the buttons to connect the call. Ben and Jonathan rested in their seats, wanting to help but still too weak to do much more than watch. They both understood that if Kristin hadn't been off with Hans and Lucas, they probably would be back in the medbay, cuffed to a bed.

The large vid-screen showed the UEO label, and the men waited. It rapidly changed to 'Connection lost' forcing an annoyed sigh out of Nathan. "Keep trying until we get through. Leslie is probably just playing games to get back at us."

"Yes, sir." Miguel dialed out again. "I figured out how make it automatically keep dialing when I was calling for backup. It'll work eventually."

Shouting in the hallway just outside the doors attracted their attentions. "Was that Shan?" Ben sat up, leaning over and trying to see what the commotion was. "Maybe they found Vern."

"Good, then we'll have some kind of bargaining chip with Leslie." Nathan retorted, turning back to the screen.

* * *

><p>Lucas took the led without being told, encumbered by both the bomb and laptop. Looking only at the floor, he heard whispers of confusion around him that were quickly followed by alarmed gasps. Feet gathered around them, and he finally glanced up.<p>

Several crew members, mostly science staff, had stopped to stare, impeding them. "Come on, people move it!" Shan called out angrily. No one listened, knowing something was very wrong. The weapons, as well as the blood on the three, told them as much.

"I said _move_!" Shan yelled loudly, and swung the rifle around. It was more than enough to startle them out of their motionlessness. The crowd parted, still whispering, and the small group was able to proceed on their way.

"Well done, soldier." Hans murmured, pushing him forward with the point of his knife in the center of his back.

"Say that in front of me, without a hostage." Shan hissed back, his eyes twitching slightly, but otherwise not reacting to the blade. "You'll see how good I am."

Hans chuckled, "perhaps another day."

Lucas hesitated just outside the clamshell doors, unsure if he could go on. Although he had no real choice in the matter, he couldn't shake the feeling that by entering the bridge was betraying his captain and crew. If only he was brave enough to stop this before this started. If only he hadn't ever trusted Hans. If only he never showed him all of the extra electronics that he could fashion into the bomb. If only he had listened to his gut the first time Hans grabbed him as he woke up.

"Go ahead, Icarus." Hans said quietly, grinning at the tormented expression on his face. "There is no sense in waiting."

He forced himself through the door, dreading seeing the captain on the other side. Ben was the first person to notice them, his face switching from surprise, to relief. As he saw the darkening bruises on Lucas' throat, so much like his own, and the blood splatter on all of them, confusion and dismay quickly took over. The weapons Hans and Shan were carrying, was the last thing he observed, or even cared about. "Oh geez guys, did you run into Vern? I hope you didn't have to kill him or something."

Shan threw his empty and useless rifle down in disgust. "Not exactly, we found something worse."

Nathan turned at the sound of voices, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, Kiddo, I was worried about you... Where did all the blood come from?" Lucas didn't respond, staring at the items in his hands. "What is that?"

He still said nothing, instead, shooting a frightened glance to Hans, asking permission silently. Hans only angled his head, pursing his lips and playing with one of the handguns on his belt. He was interested to learn whom the youth would ultimately obey, his captain or his captor.

It was Shan who spoke up, saving him. "A little _gift_ from Hans, Captain. An IED, with a dead man's trigger. He can't drop it without killing everyone here."

"Icarus, you may explain what my new favorite solider does not know yet." Hans smiled coldly at the surprised expression Shan gave him. When Lucas faltered, he pulled the gun out, casually flicking it towards Nathan. "Now is your only chance to speak."

"It… he says it's linked, with two more. If this one goes off, all three do. It'll sink the ship."

After a few moments of silence, Nathan was able to speak again, although his voice was very hushed. "Do you believe him?" With difficulty, he tore his eyes away from the unobtrusive object to look the teen in the eyes.

Finally, Lucas lifted his head to stare back. Terror and anger showed on every inch of his face. "I'm not sure, I believe this one is real. He knows how do that much, at least. A few days ago I would have there is no way he could link them remotely. But," he grimaced, "I taught him how to surf the 'nex. If I could see his history I would know for sure."

"You may finish, tell him all of it." Hans prodded, leaning back on a console, completely relaxed.

Lucas had to look away to give himself the strength to continue. "Even if they aren't connected… if anything jars the ship… the doc…"

"Kristin? What did he do?" Nathan inhaled sharply.

Hans wrenched the computer out of Lucas' hand, and set it up beside him. No one was able to speak as they watched Kristin struggling to breath. Nathan's hands started to shake, and when he turned back to the young German, his normally friendly eyes were cold, and laced with hate.

"You think doing this will control us. You are very much mistaken. There is no hole deep enough for you to hide in now. No matter what happens here, we will find you. We will hunt you down like the vermin you are. To do this to the person that fought for you, that treated you with nothing but kindness, not even animal would do that. If I were you, I would leave the ship, now. Run, run for the rest of your life. It's the only thing that might possibly save your miserable existence."

The pure rage and intensity in Nathan's voice made Hans step back several feet. He got a handle on himself, and sneered. "Words. Words and empty threats while I keep your young crewman under my thumb. Did you see how he obeyed me? You will do nothing until he is safe. Your lovely doctor told me as much."

Lucas lowered his eyes again, knowing what Hans said was true. "I'm sorry Captain… I never thought he'd… I just couldn't stop him."

"Quiet." Hans snapped, "I have not given you leave to speak again." Lucas bit down hard on his lip, clenching his free hand in frustrated rage.

Nathan shook his head, reserving a bitter stare for Hans. "Don't Kiddo. This isn't your fault." He turned away, spreading his arms out in offering. "There has to be a way to turn it off. Reset it and let me take it."

"No, I think this is far more useful. And you will not be able to set my new coordinates properly if you are so occupied."

"I can pilot." Jonathan said quietly, struggling to stand. As it was, he still swayed on his feet. "Where do you need to go?" Hans eyed him, deciding the best reply.

A voice from the vidscreen above their heads interrupted the standoff. "You will be going nowhere until I receive my payment."

They looked up as one, Leslie glared down at them. "I'd hate for your good names or credit to be tarnished."

"Now is not the time." Nathan growled. "We'll call you back. Ortiz, cut the link."

His finger hovered above the button as Leslie's eyes narrowed. "I am afraid that is not acceptable. I know you do not have your weapons online, but I do. I may not be able to sink you, but I can make you very uncomfortable."

"Who is this fool?" Hans looked at the screen with growing rage. "Get rid of him!"

Ben had a sudden revelation, catching Lucas' eye. "Leslie, is Vern still floating around here?"

"Yes, of course." The man looked at him strangely.

"Did you ever figure out his com-system? That headphone thing you told me you were working on?"

"Yes." The smug answer came back. "How do you think I directed him around your ship?"

"And you told him to attack me… from the tubes."

Leslie laughed loudly. "That was easy."

Ben breathed a sigh of relief, watching Lucas nod almost imperceptivity when he understood. "Look, if you send him in here, he can keep an eye on us until we have this situation under control."

Everyone stared at Ben, not fathoming what he could possibly be talking about. With the exception of Lucas. He, in turn, was watching the computer screen intently. A flicker in the image, caused his eyes to widen, and he began edging away from Hans.

Leslie nodded his agreement, disappearing from the screen for a few seconds. He spoke into a mouth piece when he reemerged. "Head to the bridge, Vern. Stay there."

"Hans!" Lucas called out, flashing a cocky grin. "You're about to meet a friend of ours, jealous?"

He sputtered in response, not believing that the young genus was still daring to speak out of turn. Marching towards Lucas, Hans pulled out his knife threateningly. "Since you still seem to not understand how to stop your mouth, perhaps I shall remove your tongue."


	25. Chapter 25

Chief Crocker fought with the cuffs a few moments before he could open them. After spitting out a large mouthful of blood, he stood and started for the door. Crewmembers still stood in the hall, trying to figure out what was happening. "Get to yer rooms, damnit. Don't just stand around gawkin'." He bellowed hoarsely, brushing past them.

He went to the medbay first, assuming he would find the help he may need. Tim looked up at him in surprise. "Have you seen Dr. Westphalen? Katie really needs more medication." He chewed his lip at the soft moans of pain coming from her bed.

"No, but I think I know where she is. I need both of ya. Come on." Tim didn't ask questions, and helped him lift Katie up.

She whimpered, looking at them with bleary eyes. "I know it hurts, sweetheart," Crocker said quietly. "But you are the only two around that'll know anythin' about all the toys he has in his room."

Katie tried to pull away and return to the relative comfort of her bed. "Wake up sailor! We got a mission!" He snapped, shaking her.

Her eyes sprung open fully. "Yes, sir! I'm awake. What's going on?"

Crocker quickly explained what happened in the security room between coughing and gagging on blood. Tim started to ask if he could manage, but was silenced by a dark look. As they made their slow way to Lucas' quarters, the hallways were much emptier.

"Well, what'da know, they listened." Crocker wiped a stream of blood off the side of his mouth. Tim's eyes widened when he saw the frothy bubbles hidden in the red. He knew it couldn't mean anything good.

They stopped outside the door, and swung it open. Kristin jerked with fear when she heard the noise, struggling against her bindings to see who it was. The three who had the duty of seeing her in that state, swallowed their revulsion.

"It's us, Doc, we got ya." Crocker tried to console her, as he surveyed the room for possible booby-traps. After he deemed it clear, he allowed Tim and Katie to enter.

Tim quickly spied the tablet computer showing the scene on the bridge. "We need to stay quiet, I think they can see us."

Katie all but fell on the bunk. "Let me have it, I might be able to freeze or loop the image." She whispered almost silently. After a quick check of the screen to ensure no was watching, she delved into the program.

"Just hold on for us Doc." Crocker reassured Kristin softly. "We'll get ya down as soon as it's safe."

* * *

><p>Lucas backed up until his legs hit the edge of the bridge's aquatube. He leaned backwards, cowering under one arm, and once again watched as Hans hesitated in front of the bomb. A good part of the fear was real, if Hans grabbed him too quickly, he wouldn't be able to escape. Lucas hoped seeing him react this way would give the man a small measure of satisfaction. He had no idea if Ben's hastily made plan would do more harm than good, and was honestly terrified by the punishment Hans was threatening.<p>

Before either of them could complete any other actions, the water behind him erupted. A small dark mass climbed out, nimbly avoiding Lucas' nearly prostrate body. Everyone but Hans quickly backed away, he could only watch the dripping orangutan in utter bewilderment. Using the distraction, Lucas dove into the water, holding the explosive to his chest.

It took Hans a few seconds to understand what was happening. When he saw Lucas was gone, he screamed in rage, leveling his gun first at Vern. When he realized the action was fruitless, he then moved on to the people around him. "What is this? Get Icarus back! Tell him I'll kill you all!"

Ignoring his temper tantrum, Ben simply laughed loudly, and shouted. "Vern! He took your bananas!"

Vern, who had been shaking himself free of the water clinging to his hair, froze. He raised his upper lip in a frightening snarl, revealing sharp teeth, and launched himself at Hans. Rather than simply watch the show of the now terrified German grappling with the red ape, Jonathan and Shan ran to him, and quickly disarming him.

"Vern! Get back!" Leslie ordered, still observing from the vid-screen. "Krieg, you better explain what's going on." He snapped.

Ben was still giggling to himself. "I just made your orangutan a hero, chill."

Nathan didn't have time to enjoy the humorous scene, flipping the laptop to face him. "Kristin? Can you hear me? We're coming." He was horrified by the stillness of her form.

The image flickered, and she was replaced by Crocker. "We got her, Cap. Taking her to medbay now. Everythin' under control up there?" He raised an eyebrow at Hans being handcuffed by Shan.

"Yes." Nathan felt so relieved his knees nearly buckled. "Mostly. Once we get Lucas back and figure out how to disarm the bomb, we'll be done with it."

Hans tried to twist free, kicking at the men holding him. Shan lashed out with a tight punch, dropping the young man to his knees. "Am I still your favorite?"

Looking up through a quickly swelling eye, Hans snarled back. "This is not finished, soldier."

Shan took a step closer, and roughly lifted him to his feet. "No, it isn't. Remember I still owe you for what you did to the Doc and to Lucas."

"Try not to kill him, we still need him." Nathan said drily, only half meaning it. He looked at the aquatube with new concern. "Lucas should have been back by now."

"He could be going all the way to the pool." Miguel pointed out. "Or…" He ran to the WSKR station, bringing the view to the main screen. "Sir… he's outside."

The large picture showed Lucas struggling to swim quickly away from the ship, still holding the bomb in his hand. He looked back once, and opened his fingers, letting it descend out of sight into the dark water.

* * *

><p>When he dived into the water, Lucas knew he probably only had one chance at this. He had to make up for allowing Hans the chance to do this. For hurting his friends and crew, for the giving him opportunity to take the ship.<p>

He popped up in the moon pool, giving the air tanks stacked at the side a forlorn look. There wasn't time to attempt strapping one on, and he didn't think he'd be able to complete the task with one hand anyhow.

Taking the deepest breath he thought possible, Lucas dived again, heading for the outside world. The light was dim, but they were close enough to the surface that he wasn't crushed. Fumbling through the entrance usually reserved for Darwin, Lucas kicked away from the ship. He gave himself a precious moment of time, slipping off his sneakers in annoyance, and watching them sink away.

The slightly lighter weight helped, as did being able to spread his toes out for more power. He swam until his lungs were bursting, then, he finally allowed himself to let go. Lucas started to count without even realizing he was doing it. At three seconds, there was a roar. A visible shockwave churned the silt filled water as it flew towards him.

He was tossed in the water, flipping over and over. Coming to a stop with ringing ears, black spots danced in front of his eyes. The last of his air escaped in bubbles from his mouth, and Lucas drifted limply in the currents.


	26. Chapter 26

Leslie!" Nathan ran closer to the screen, desperately wanting to pluck Lucas out of the water via the WSKR view. Not breathing, he waited until Miguel brought back the other video feed. "How well do Vern's gills work?"

Leslie looked down at him smugly. "_Now_ you are interested in my work?"

"Tell me!"

He balked in surprise. "One hundred percent effective now that I..."

"Please," Nathan pleaded urgently, "send him out after Lucas." Miguel quickly sent him the image of the teen floating in the water, earning a shocked gasp from the man.

Leslie spoke into the mouth piece. "Vern, go outside, bring the boy back."

After the orangutan jumped into the water, Nathan strode to Ben. "You and Ford get in a sea crab, in case Vern can't carry him or... or he isn't in time."

They nodded and took off at a brisk jog. The adrenalin of the situation was the only thing that kept them currently upright.

"Ortiz, keep that WSKR on them." Miguel worked the controls, zooming in on the scene and splitting the screen so Leslie and Lucas could both be seen.

All they could do was wait with baited breath. Curiously, Shan noticed Hans looking almost as anxious as the rest of the bridge crew. As he watched him, the German became aware of his scrutiny, and scowled. "I only regret I was not close enough to see his face as he died. Icarus has caused me many problems I was unable to foresee."

Shan shook his head, quietly responding. "I may only be a soldier, but I'm not an idiot. You're worried, why?"

"It is none of your concern." Hans looked away uncomfortably.

A triumphant shout from Nathan brought an end to the discussion. Vern had gotten to Lucas and started dragging him back. "Send him to the moon pool!" Nathan ordered over his shoulder as he bolted from the bridge.

Leslie relayed the command, leaning back and breathing a sigh. "I'll be docking now."

"Might as well." Miguel muttered with an exasperated eye roll. "Try not to steal anything."

He leaned over until he could see the laptop. The screen still showed Crocker tending to Kristin, although she was trying to check his breathing as he did so. "You guys better get to the moon pool too."

"What happened?" Kristin looked up suddenly.

"Lucas…" was the only word Miguel was able to utter before the four disappeared from the room.

* * *

><p>Nathan burst onto the sea deck just as Vern was bringing Lucas up. Without another thought, he pulled the lifeless boy from the water. Beginning compressions, Nathan's mind briefly shot back to the last time he was forced to do the same act. It seemed like it had been weeks since they found Ben floating here. He blew air into Lucas' mouth with all his strength. "Come on Kiddo, don't do this to me."<p>

Now that they were face to face, Nathan could see the damage the WSKR didn't show. The shock wave had left Lucas' face battered and bruised with a trickle of blood seeping from his noise. Nathan could only wonder what the internal damage was.

The door slammed opened behind him, but he didn't bother turning. It didn't matter who was coming, as long as they didn't try to stop him. Then, they would simply be dead and he could continue saving the young man. Kristin landed on her knees beside him, taking over the breaths. He nodded his thanks, counting to fifteen as he pressed on the thin chest.

"I have a pulse." Kristin announced, her fingers pressed to the side of his neck. "And he's breathing."

Indeed, raged sounding breaths were finally easing out on their own. Nathan sat back on his heels, for the first time since he saw her on the laptop, he looked at Kristin closely. The stress of the day nearly overwhelmed him, and all he could do was nod. She reached out and squeezed his hand in complete understanding.

* * *

><p>Ben and Jonathan returned to the bridge in slightly better spirits. "They have him." Ben informed the nervous looking Miguel.<p>

"And?"

"They had to give him CPR, but he's breathing now." Ben glared at Hans, who was sitting silently beside Shan. "It'll take a little time until he's awake to know about... brain damage." He grimaced at the idea of the young genius being less than he always was.

"I suggest you get him out of here before Captain Bridger comes back. We don't want to deal with an investigation from the UEO if he can't control himself seeing this... _filth_ here." Jonathan ordered, settling into a chair. "Don't give him an inch. Chain him to a wall of you have to."

Shan nodded, and pulled Hans to his feet. "You heard him, move... For your own safety." Hans tried to sneer, but fear was evident in his eyes.

"Our back up will be docking in a few hours." Miguel informed them, "then we won't have to look at him anymore."

"I wish to speak to Icarus." Hans demanded as Shan pushed him down the corridor.

"If he survives your little toy completely intact, I might even tell him that." Shan scoffed, "we'll have a good laugh over it."

Hans stopped walking, glaring at him angrily. "You will not. You will bring him to me as soon he is able."

"Keep dreaming." Shan retorted, folding his arms over his chest. It pulled on his minor injury and his grimaced. "You have a lot to answer for."

"I am aware." Hans answered slowly. "If I am allowed to speak with him, I will cooperate. I tell you where the explosives are hidden, and tell your authorities everything."

Shan stared at him for several long moments. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

><p>Kristin stripped off the bloody surgical gloves at Nathan entered the medbay. "Report?" He asked softly.<p>

She flashed a weary smile. "After a minor surgery, Chief Crocker's ribs have been set, and the punctured lung will heal fully in time. I would like to have a talk with him about running around while being so injured, though."

Nathan snorted, "that won't do much good." His eyes traveled to the blonde sleeping a few feet away. "And Lucas?"

"He's covered in bruises, but he'll be fine. Perhaps some hearing damage from being so close to the explosion's shockwave, but it won't last. I've also given him some strong antibiotics since the seawater was in his lungs for so long. Who knows what he ingested."

He took her hands in his own, slowly rubbing his thumb over her palm. His eyes creased painfully when he scrutinized the silk scarf she had put on to cover her abraded neck. "And you?"

"Annoyed, mostly." Kristin admitted. "I believed that damn boy was innocent..."

"We all did." Nathan answered drily.

She nodded, still looking frustrated. "What will they do with him?"

Nathan sighed, "well, EUO security is on their way, but first we need to find out where the other two IED's are."

"He hasn't told you?" Kristin asked in surprise. "Surely he can't believe there is still a chance for him to use them."

"No," Nathan shook his head, looking at Lucas again. "He says he wants to talk to… his friend."

A furious light came to Kristin's eyes. "You can't be serious. I refuse to allow Lucas to put through that."

"We need to find them, without help, it could take weeks." Nathan explained gently. "If any of the components become unstable… There is just too much that we don't know about what he used."

Seeing the argument was already lost, Kristin set her jaw. "I'll tell him after he is awake. But if anything happens to him, Nathan Bridger…"

He held up his hands to calm her. "He's all locked up, Shan already said he isn't letting Hans out of his sight until he's picked up. Lucas will be completely safe."

"Physically, maybe." Kristin muttered, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against him. "But not completely."


	27. Chapter 27

Lucas very slowly made his way down to the brig. Partly from the muscle twitches and aches he dealing with, and partly because this was the last thing wanted to be doing. He stopped to talk to Shan, just outside of the cell Hans was in. "Hey, any idea what he wants?" He asked in a pained and raspy voice.

"No," Shan pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. "Just that he wants to talk." He studied the young man. "How are you?"

"Sore." Lucas admitted with a sigh. "And my ears won't stop ringing." He flexed his arm with a wince. "I feel like I should start lifting weights or something, though. That damn thing was heavy." He raised an eyebrow looking at the bloody uniform Shan had yet to change out of. "You?"

He glanced down at his chest with a wry grin. "Dodging the doc still. It looks worse than it is, I don't think I'll need stitches. I'll see her after he's gone. But, I should probably take off the shirt before I go in, or she'll yell at me." Shan looked at him intently again. "I'll be here the whole time. He won't be able to lay a finger on you."

Lucas glanced away, touched by the gesture, but embarrassed as well. "Um, yeah, thanks."

"Captain Bridger said he'd make them wait, but the EUO really wants to get his hands on this guy. You better hurry."

After taking a deep breath, which irritated his lungs into a minor coughing fit, Lucas turned to the door. Shan opened it for him and leaned back on the wall to give them a small amount of privacy. Inside, Hans was shackled hand and foot, sitting in the floor. Lucas winced, even after everything that happened, seeing him like that was still difficult. He had scratches on his face from Vern, and a very dark bruise that spread from his eye brow to jaw line.

"Icarus," he nodded in welcome.

Rather than return the greeting, Lucas glanced around the room. "Why are you on the floor?"

"It is more comfortable with my..." He lifted his hands, causing the links of the cuffs to rattle.

"Oh... Ok." Lucas nodded, chewing his lip. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be friendly or submissive, and Hans wasn't giving him any hints. "They didn't give you a bed?"

"I will not be here long enough to require one, I believe."

"Um... So... I'm here, where are they? The other two bombs?" Lucas sat on the only piece of furniture in the small room, a plastic chair bolted to the wall.

"I do not want you to be the one to look for them. After what you did, I worry that you will try to retrieve them yourself. I will tell the soldier after we are done speaking." Hans adjusted himself to face Lucas.

"You better start then."

"I will not apologize for taking your ship." He looked at the deep bruises turning dark on the young man's face.

Lucas snorted, he played with his hands, conscious of the scrutiny. "I didn't ask you to."

"But I do wish to apologize for hurting you. That was never my intent."

Hans sounded sincere, but Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You strangled me! You pushed me around after made me carry a freaking bomb. You threatened to cut out my tongue."

"You just would not listen. If only..." Hans struggled to explain.

"Bullshit!" Lucas thundered, getting up and pacing the small room. "You thought it was funny, forcing me to make those choices. After everything you did, how can you say that you didn't want to hurt me? You have no right! I don't even know why I'm here talking to you."

Hans looked away, unable to answer. With every one of Lucas' angry footfalls, he cringed, curling his arms around his legs until he was a ball. Seeing him react this way, Lucas fought to get himself under control. "Even if what you are saying is true, you had no problem with hurting my friends. Why am I different?"

No answer came from Hans, who had his eyes squeezed shut like a child hiding from a nightmare. Lucas dropped down beside him, leaning on the same wall. "Tell me why."

"You... you were different than the others."

"How?"

"You _are_."

"Oh…" an uncomfortable weight dropped into Lucas' stomach. "I see… So, um…Is like where you tell me you love me or something?"

Hans opened his eyes with a snap, as color drained from his face. "Was meinst du bedeuten? I…I do not know what you mean."

"I think you do. Look, if this is how you treated your other boyfriends..."

Hans flinched visibly at the mention. The action tore at Lucas' heart. "I... I'm sorry. That was a low blow. I didn't mean it like that."

He cleared his throat, seeing the line of questioning wasn't going to end anywhere helpful. "So why? What was your master plan?"

Hans uncoiled a small amount. "You must know I never lied to you, not since you found out about my past."

"You lied about making a bomb." Lucas groaned, the conversation itself was becoming surreal, and it annoyed him.

"It was... an omission." Hans muttered.

"That's a pretty big omission. But that doesn't matter. Telling the truth, is that supposed to make it ok?"

"No," he clenched his fists, then opened them to cover his face. Tears filled his light grey eyes. "I am not accustom to this. I have never had to explain my decisions. Perhaps you were correct, about making my father proud. That is why I became so angry with you. I do not honestly know why I did this. I... I saw the opportunity. I found the people who would strengthen my county. I sought to… be a hero."

"And just kill who ever got into your way." There was an edge to Lucas' voice, but he spoke gently.

"If need be." Hans admitted.

"Did you really think I would just go along with that?" Lucas shook his head, appalled by the idea.

"I misjudged you. I thought you a civilian, then a scientist, never a solider." Hans raised his face, and looked at him intently.

Lucas stared back in surprise. "You think I'm a solider, now?"

"I think you are many things, Icarus. I hesitate to label you."

"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of that either." Lucas sighed, relaxing his body. Their legs touched, but neither pulled back.

Hans rested his head against the wall they shared. "I am ashamed of my actions."

"I am too."

A dark expression crossed the German's face. "It was no fault of yours."

"I told everyone they could trust you. I showed you everything you needed for the bombs. I let you push me around, and took you to the bridge. It is my fault." Lucas responded bitterly.

Hans reached out for him, but when his hands were impeded by the cuffs, the stopped. "Icarus... No. I would have found a way. It is what I was trained for."

"I don't think I could ever be trained that well." Lucas grumbled, a sardonic smile appearing on his face.

"Nor do you want to be. But, even with all my training, I was defeated by a damn monkey."

"Ape."

"What?"

"Vern... He doesn't have a tail, he's an ape." Hans tilted his head with a blank look. "Just because it eats a banana doesn't make it a monkey."

The young men looked at each other for a moment before dissolving into laughter. "I will have to remember that." Hans grinned, "it is an apt description."

Voices and the stomping of boots interrupted them. Lucas blew out a breath. "I think that's your ride."

Hans nodded, "very well. May I email you, Icarus?"

Lucas thought about it for all of a half of a second. "Yeah... I guess that'll be ok. If they let you."

He stood first, and reached a hand down. Hans grasped it, pulling himself up. Together, they waited at the door for UEO security.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Heads up! I'm done other than some editing, so tomorrow afternoon or evening, I'll be posting the ending, if you don't mind that is! :) And maybe, just maybe, some smut! <strong>


	28. Chapter 28

Kristin watched suspiciously as Nathan led two men wearing scrubs into her medbay. "What is this?"

He didn't answer her right away, instead looking at Ben and Katie. The supply officer had crawled into his ex-wife's bed and was holding her as they both slept. "That's new." Nathan remarked quietly.

"Not very new, sir." Tim chuckled from his bed. "I think they've been hiding something from us.

With his voice muffled by Katie's back, Ben responded. "Timmy, you know that disk on ancient Sanskrit you've been trying to get? Good luck with that."

"Fay-fay dun pee-yen." Tim hissed from the side of mouth. He picked up the book laying beside him, and turned away.

"Nathan..." Kristin called in a warning tone. "Who are these men?"

He finally turned back to her. "Well, I explained to the security team about keeping an eye on Leslie, and how many crewmen we are down. They decided to call the brass, who ordered a mandatory twenty-four hour R and R for everyone."

"I have patients that need tending. Chief Crocker's injuries alone will take..."

Nathan cut her off. "Everyone, no exceptions. You have and I have to talk anyhow."

"Talk? About what?" Kristin raised an eyebrow at his almost playful tone.

Nathan looped his arm through hers, and led her to the door. "I thought it was time to debrief you."

"Debrief? Nathan, I think you know enough." Kristin retorted, trying to plant her feet.

He shook his head, grinning mischievously. "That may be true, but this will be a _full debrief_."

The door swinging shut cut off the sound of Tim choking back a gasp, as well as Ben's knowing chuckle.

* * *

><p>"Nathan..." Kristin had to stop speaking to regain her breath as he ran a hand up and down her back. "As much as I want to, do you really think now is the time?"<p>

He pushed open the door of his cabin. "I could have lost you back there, now is the best time." He growled softly into her ear, and picked her up, carrying her into the room.

"Wait," she was breathing heavily and twisted herself free, landing lightly on her toes. Her face was flushed, but managed to resist what she so desperately needed. "What about Lucas, he's still..."

"I just spoke to Shan, Hans is off the ship, and Lucas is going to the moon pool to relax a little. He said he has some things to think about." Nathan reassured her. "The security team found the EID's. Everything is under control."

He carefully pulled the silk scarf from Kristin's neck, letting it fall to the floor. She tensed, but allowed him to caress the red lines that crossed her throat. "How did he get you up there like that? Did he threaten you? Or us?"

Kristin shuddered at the memory, meeting Nathan's intense gaze with her own. "I don't actually know. Hans asked me to help him hide his... gift in Lucas' room. We stepped into the doorway and I felt a pinch on the side of my neck. Everything went black. He must have stolen a sedative from my supplies. When I came to, I was already tied up and he pulled me on the chair. I was quite dazed and couldn't fight him."

She looked away suddenly, needing to sit. Nathan caught her as she started to sway and dissolved into tears. "I thought maybe he was just angry at me for whatever reason. When I saw Lucas on that bloody screen, I knew how wrong I was." Kristin buried her face into Nathan's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

He pulled back, cupping her face in his hands. "This wasn't your fault. Hans fooled everyone."

Very tenderly, Nathan kissed each of her eyes, banishing the tears. He led her to his bunk, and continued kissing her until he reached her neck. The breath hissed out of Kristin's mouth, the moment he touched her, she could feel all the pain and fear dissipate. Hungrily, she grabbed his shoulders and covered his mouth with hers.

Nathan pulled back in surprise at her roughness. "Are you sure?"

After biting and tugging his lower lip, Kristin gave him a blazing look. "I need this, I need to feel alive."

"But..."

"Captain, with all due respect, shut up." She ripped the top of his uniform off without any hesitation.

Nathan copied her action, whispering into her ear. "Yes, ma'am."

With every kiss, every nibble, every touch, the horror of the last day faded away. Soon, and for a fair amount of time, all that existed was them.

Several people walking by in the corridor that day slowed to listen. Worried expressions crossed faces. Loud moans and cries echoed around them. Some asked if they should knock, others simply turned red and bolted from the area.

* * *

><p>Nathan trailed his hand over Kristin's smooth and still heated back as she slept. The release of stress, and then some, was exactly what the both of them needed. Knowing he still had things to take care of, even if he was off duty, Nathan sighed and crawled out of his bed. Kristin moaned lightly, and rolled over. Smiling at her, he pulled the blanket up, and kissed her shoulder. "We'll have to do that again, very soon."<p>

With a quiet curse, Nathan realized with everything that had been happening, he only had the one uniform. "Maybe no one will notice." He whispered to himself, detangling it from Kristin's clothing and pulling it back on.

Just outside his cabin, Nathan ran into Leslie, with Vern on his back. They were being followed not so secretly around by Shan. Nathan nodded in greeting. "Enjoying your stay?"

"Other than your hounds watching me, yes." Leslie glared at the security officer.

Nathan snorted, "you _do_ have a reputation." He nodded towards Shan. "I'll take it from here."

Leslie eyed his rumpled uniform and the zipper that seemed to be broken, as it only went half way up. "Is it a casual day?"

"Something like that." Nathan retorted, leading him down the hall.

"I'd like to thank you for sending Vern out like that. We wouldn't have been in time."

Leslie nodded, "I hate to see any pioneers be hurt, we need them."

Giving Vern an affectionate pat, Nathan glanced at the man. "How did you get his gills to work?"

"After we last met, I delved back into my original work, under an assumed name of course."

"Of course."

Leslie either missed, or ignored the derisive reply from Nathan. "I found a group of scientists who were working on the same thing. They had been approved for testing on volunteers, prisoners mostly. Working with them, I was able to prefect the technique. Also, the underwater communications."

He reached up and carefully turned Vern's head to show a small metal device in his ear. "Completely water proof, and on a human, close enough to the vocal cords to allow speech, even with a mouth full of water."

Nathan nodded appreciatively. "Well done Leslie. I hope this means you'll continue with your other work. Unless you enjoy being a salvager too much."

"It is very profitable." Leslie smirked back. "Call it a side job."

They came to a stop just outside of the airlock. "Captain, I had time to reinstate your weapons controls."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "That was you? We assumed it was Hans and you just were able to see it."

"It was needed." Leslie said unapologetically.

"Why?" Nathan asked, his normally mild annoyance at the man growing into something stronger.

Leslie blinked at him in surprise. "I didn't want you to fire on me."

"But you left the warheads?" Nathan shook his head at the logic.

"Yes, of course. You needed to be able to defend yourself if you were attacked."

Nathan was speechless. He could only watch as Leslie passed into the docking area, boarding his sub. "Seriously?"

"Sir," Shan approached him with a piece of paper. "I just received a list of missing items."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Any personal?"

"No, sir."

"Let him go."

* * *

><p>"Come on fish face, it isn't a big deal." Lucas pleaded into the vocoder.<p>

The dolphin hovered on the opposite side of the pool, staring at him. Nathan walked in just as Lucas pushed himself away from the tank in disgust. "It's still not working?"

"No, I fixed it." Lucas glared at the water. "He's just pouting."

"Pouting? Why?" Nathan raised an eyebrow, waiting for the punchline of something he obviously wasn't understanding.

"Because Vern was the one who saved me and not him. Even though he wasn't around and didn't even know anything was wrong!" Lucas raised his voice to shout at Darwin the last half of his statement.

Nathan chuckled. "He'll come around."

In response, Lucas scowled. "He's worse than I am sometimes."

Nathan wisely kept quiet after that admission. Instead, he grasped Lucas' shoulder, turning him. "Thank you, for talking to Hans."

"You needed me to." He shrugged, chewing his lip and dipping his head.

"Are you ok? Shan said you were with him for a while."

Lucas nodded after thinking for a moment. "Yeah, we just talked about everything that happened"

Nathan scrutinized the side of his bruised face without responding. "No, really, I'm fine." Lucas said earnestly, meeting his eyes. "I mean, it's a kinda sad really, I don't think he even knows why he did it."

Nathan released his shoulder. "Ok, Kiddo, well if you think you need to talk about it...

"Actually," Lucas interrupted with a thoughtful expression. "There's one thing I'd like to ask. If you don't mind, Captain."

"Name it."

"Can we just, like, not pick up anymore frozen dudes?"

Nathan laughed loudly, nodding. "I'll do what I can." He turned to the water, calling Darwin with hand signals. "Let me have a try."

As he stretched out over the edge of the tank, Lucas spied something he thought was an injury on the older man's neck. His blue eyes narrowed curiously before they popped back open wide. He nearly stumbled from backing off in horror so quickly. "Wait... Captain! Is... Is that a hickey?! _Ew_! _Ew_! Oh god, old people should not be doing that!"


	29. Chapter 29

Epilogue

Hans Jung stretched out in his bunk lazily. He briefly thought about working on his memoirs, but decided against it. It only be allowed out as a work of fiction and the idea rankled him. He checked the clock on the wall, dinner would be coming soon. Not that it was anything to look forward to, but he was hungry.

He thought back to the time he had spent there. Two months since he allowed himself to be escorted off the ship. Two months since he learned he would not have a trial. Two months since he was hidden away in this jail cell. They told him if he _behaved_ and _obeyed_, he would be allowed to have perks. At first, Hans was suspicious, then started to trust them.

That was before the first medical test. Ah, the tests. Hans groaned to himself. There would be another soon. The doctors at the prison were very interested, too interested, in how he survived in the ice. Drawing blood at the beginning of every week. Checking his DNA for abnormalities. As if he were some kind of mutation. Then the physical tests. Hours of running on a treadmill, staring at the same blank white wall.

Tissue samples were the worst, at least they put him under for those. But, he would wake with painful new scars and a healthy loathing for his jailers. But, maybe they wouldn't need to this week. They hadn't found anything strange. Or, they didn't bother telling him. He was a non-entity here. Spoken to with bored respect, but never engaged. He considered rebelling just for some fun, but then he would lose his only connection to Icarus.

The thought of hearing from him again brought a smile to Hans' lips. When they first brought him the laptop, he couldn't believe it. He thought it was some kind of trick to make him betray his buyers. After being informed he was only allowed on certain sites, and would be closely monitored, Hans delved into the machine. He assured Icarus he was alive and relatively safe. The teen never asked where he was, and Hans never offered. Nor did he say anything about the testing he was being subjected to. It wasn't his fault where he ended up, and Hans knew, on some level, it was part of his punishment. There was no point in complaining.

The emails began awkward and few between but progressed. Now, they were sent back and forth several times a day. The young men spoke about everything, except the imprisonment. Hans wasn't sure he was allowed, and did not wish to incur the wrath of those who held him.

The day he learned of the SeaQuest going down via a news site haunted him. Hans waited for information but none came quickly enough. He sent dozens of emails, begging to know if Icarus was alive. Finally one came. He kept in a file, vowing to never delete it. "I'm safe, sorry it took so long. My computer was destroyed. Are you ok? It must have sucked learning about like that, so sorry!"

_Are you ok?_ He had very nearly lost his life and was asking if his former enemy was upset. It bewildered and humbled Hans.

The next time the news reported on the young genius, Hans didn't believe it. He knew Icarus would never take his own life. His weeping father could been seen on the edge of the camera feeds, trying to escape the questions. Again, his emails went unanswered and Hans started to doubt himself. For two weeks, he could barely sleep or eat, only refreshing the news site for something, anything. Finally, it came, much the same as last time. "I'm sorry. I'll explain as soon as I can. I'm alive."

His jailers didn't know what to make of the German weeping in his cell in front of the computer. For a week, no one bothered him other than to bring food. Perhaps they thought him broken, that his psyche had become too fragile.

Hans' stomach growled, dinner was late... It was never late. Footsteps attracted his attention, and he stood as he had been taught. Back against the far wall, hands folded together behind him. He cast his eyes down, but that was his own submission. It seemed to please the guards, and some of them would slip him a dessert or extra bit of food. He didn't do it for that. Hans only did it so they wouldn't see the hate in his eyes. So they wouldn't know he was taking stock of every routine, every placement of key and weapon. He would escape, it was only a matter of time.

"Hello young man." A new voice, one he had never heard.

Hans looked up in surprise. An older, distinguished man stood in front of the door. Silver grey hair swept back from a terribly and freshly scarred face. "Who are you?" He blurted out before remembering himself. Questions were frowned upon here.

The man smiled warmly. "A doctor, you are to come with me and be under my tutelage."

Hans looked around the small room. This was not right. They never played games with him before. The one time Hans had ventured onto a Neo-Nazi website, he had been punished painfully. They claimed him waking up in the middle of having his bone marrow extracted was simply an accident, but were not able to hide the satisfaction of seeing him writhe in pain.

"Tute...lage?" He fumbled uncomfortably, surprising himself by looking for the guards. He just wanted whomever this doctor was, to leave. "I... I do not know this word."

"Vormundschaft." The man answered calmly.

The word made Hans stiffen with fear. It was spoken calmly, but with an underlying intent. "Verstehe ich nicht." He said cautiously

"You will understand soon." He pulled open the previously locked door. "Also, you will understand the painful things we do for love."

"Love." The word breathed from Hans' mouth.

The man smiled, his cold eyes trapping Hans with their sheer power. "You do love him, correct?"

As if he was hypothesized, Hans nodded before thinking better of it. "Yes."

"I have my own love that does not understand yet. Perhaps we shall fix this dilemma together."

Hans stared at him, his will fighting against the two things he wanted, freedom, and Icarus. He already understood the methods this mysterious and powerful man would employ could end with death. "What do I call you?"

"For now, Dr. Zellar will suffice."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reading! No one minds if I do a sequel, right? :) As you probably figured out, it'll be after this one and Frozen Emotions. Just give me a month or so to get some research done. Hopefully my mind won't be taken over by another idea. <strong>

**I'd like to thank everyone who helped me with this one. Tracy for your input on Crocker, you rock! My mom for all the old fashion German phrases. All the reviewers, and just anyone who took the time to log on and read. When I see my visitor numbers go up, I get all giddy. Oh, and sorry for making you feel bad for a Nazi... Kinda. **


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